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SOUTHWEST ONE PAPER CHASE

 

In 1945, as the war came to an end, it was perfectly reasonable for the American President's wife - Eleanor Roosevelt - to cite genuine shortages of vital supplies:

 

But paper is no longer on the wish list of most big organisations today.

Except, apparantly, right here in Somerset.

The following emails were leaked to me this week from different sources inside the sprawling edifice of Somerset County Council. They demonstrate how SouthWest One seems to prefer to run its business.....on a wing and prayer, depriving insiders of essential supplies of paper. The emails show how they are reduced to using scrap paper....and how they refuse to pay their suppliers promptly.

 

 

From: Business & Performance Unit, SouthWest One

 

Date: 30th October 2008

 

“I have just spoken to X in Exchequer to chase the Stationery Order I placed with them on Monday. He informs me that due to staff leave they presently do not have anyone that can make this order although they are desperately trying to get another member of their team setup to do this via Procurement. Until this happens we are not likely to receive the orders - most notably the A4 paper which we are short of.”

 

From: Acting Business & Performance Manager, Property Service, SouthWest One

Date: 4th November 2008.

“This is completely out of our control and is going to leave the department critically short of paper. I have managed to borrow a box from another department but two reams have already gone. Can I please ask that no-one prints anything that can wait until next week. If anyone's printer runs out please see me for more plain A4 paper.”

   
  ©2003,2004 Ian Liddell-Grainger. All rights reserved. www.somersetwest.org.uk