Few things illustrate one of the madnesses at the heart of modern life as concisely as the issue of the Blacka Moor Site Worker.
"What site worker?", you ask. Exactly. There isn't one. Friends of Blacka Moor and other local users believe that a dedicated site worker should be a major part of the answer to the question of how to manage Blacka Moor. We've been saying so for four years. SWT hate the idea. Why?
What is the case for a site worker? Simply this: that everyday hands on contact with a large area of land like Blacka encourages in the individual concerned a respect for the land and its qualities which no desk worker could possibly have; that many small jobs can be done as you patrol around thus helping to prevent a build up of problems that eventually add up to a major contract; drainage channels that clog up after rain can be cleared before flood damage happens, litter never gets to the point where visitors are annoyed, small areas of vegetation can be ‘managed’ on a regular basis, wildlife can be monitored as it is seen; visitors can get to know the site worker who can be a point of contact. And many others.
But SWT’s resistance to this idea is so determined that they appear to see it as a threat. I wonder why? Is it perhaps that they see it as calling into question their own jobs? Will someone ask who needs the managers when a competent site worker does all that’s necessary?
Groups that run nature and wildlife sites were once small organisations whose main work was practical and hands on. A bit like the corner greengrocer. But things have moved on and they're now more like Tesco's and Asda. SWT is set up according to 'good' modern business practice with a hierarchy of responsibilities in the organisation, a Chief Executive, a Deputy Chief Executive (post presently advertised), various heads of this that and the other and managers. Most of these suits are busy attending meetings and those who are not are producing paperwork and computer files doing various other official business at workstations. They do actually put their feet on the ground sometimes but this is quite rare. The main focus is to make sure all looks quite smart on paper. The question that has to be asked is what has all this to do with looking after an area of land?
What Blacka needs first and foremost is somebody who knows the place and understands it day by day. The business model - a hierarchical top-down style - runs exactly contrary to this.
"What site worker?", you ask. Exactly. There isn't one. Friends of Blacka Moor and other local users believe that a dedicated site worker should be a major part of the answer to the question of how to manage Blacka Moor. We've been saying so for four years. SWT hate the idea. Why?
What is the case for a site worker? Simply this: that everyday hands on contact with a large area of land like Blacka encourages in the individual concerned a respect for the land and its qualities which no desk worker could possibly have; that many small jobs can be done as you patrol around thus helping to prevent a build up of problems that eventually add up to a major contract; drainage channels that clog up after rain can be cleared before flood damage happens, litter never gets to the point where visitors are annoyed, small areas of vegetation can be ‘managed’ on a regular basis, wildlife can be monitored as it is seen; visitors can get to know the site worker who can be a point of contact. And many others.
But SWT’s resistance to this idea is so determined that they appear to see it as a threat. I wonder why? Is it perhaps that they see it as calling into question their own jobs? Will someone ask who needs the managers when a competent site worker does all that’s necessary?
Groups that run nature and wildlife sites were once small organisations whose main work was practical and hands on. A bit like the corner greengrocer. But things have moved on and they're now more like Tesco's and Asda. SWT is set up according to 'good' modern business practice with a hierarchy of responsibilities in the organisation, a Chief Executive, a Deputy Chief Executive (post presently advertised), various heads of this that and the other and managers. Most of these suits are busy attending meetings and those who are not are producing paperwork and computer files doing various other official business at workstations. They do actually put their feet on the ground sometimes but this is quite rare. The main focus is to make sure all looks quite smart on paper. The question that has to be asked is what has all this to do with looking after an area of land?
What Blacka needs first and foremost is somebody who knows the place and understands it day by day. The business model - a hierarchical top-down style - runs exactly contrary to this.
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