Council denies 'non job' accusation over kids' music co-ordinator (From Watford Observer)
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Hertfordshire County Council denies 'non job' accusation over kids' music co-ordinator
2:56pm Friday 18th February 2011 in News
A COUNCIL has defended its recruitment policy after it was accused of wasting taxpayers’ money on a “ludicrous non-job”.
Hertfordshire County Council was one of a number of local authorities nationwide to feel the wrath of the Daily Mail this morning in an article called: Revealed: Labour's crazy town hall 'non-jobs'.
It bemoaned the alleged recruitment bonanza of the previous Labour government, which is alleged to have wasted millions of pounds on positions such as “Roller Disco Coach”, "Walking Co-ordinator" and “Access to Nature Officer”.
Hertfordshire County Council was highlighted for an advert for a Head of Participation and Partnership – a £42,000 a year post to encourage young people to play musical instruments.
The council, which has agreed plans to slash spending by some £200million over the next four years, defended the position. A spokesman said: “The music service's head of participation and inclusion is an established post, responsible for helping disadvantaged children and young people to enjoy and experience music.
“The holder of the post is a senior staff leader in the nationally recognised and award-winning Hertfordshire Music Service, which teaches 25,000 children across the county."
What do you think? Let us know by commenting below.
Comments(5)
Roy Stockdill
says...
12:19am Sat 19 Feb 11
Nothing wrong with that, but why does it need a bureaucrat on £42,000 a year to co-ordinate and oversee the whole caboodle? What does the holder of this extremely well-paid post (around twice the average national salary) actually DO? Do they actually teach music personally or do they just sit behind a desk at county hall sending out missives and instructions?
And if parents genuinely want their children to become musical and learn to play an instrument, then surely they have a greater role to play in paying for private lessons and taking the kids to concerts where they will hear professional musicians performing.
The Beatles and the Rolling Stones didn't become hugely successful musicians because of some bureaucratic twerp called a Head of Participation and Partnership - an absurd title if ever I heard one! They got together after school and taught themselves to play and write songs.
John Dowdle
says...
8:09am Sat 19 Feb 11
As someone who earned his living as a professional musician for a number of years, I know that having at least some appreciation of music and an ability to play musical instruments can be extremely useful.
Is it not also the mark of a civilised society that individuals within that society have an appreciation of music?
Where I will agree with the two previous posts is in querying the job title and the salary level. I think these could be reviewed in these more financially challenging times.
One final point I think we should all note is that Hertfordshire, and Watford in particular, constitute a significantly different case perhaps to other parts of the country.
With Watford School of Music and the Purcell School being located locally, we have local institutions which have produced young musicians of national and - in some cases - truly international standard.
We should be proud of the achievements of these young people and prepared to support them to the maximum extent possible.
I wouldn't worry about what the Daily Mail has to say on this subject. They often get things wrong in their rush to a cheap and shoddy judgment.
Roy Stockdill
says...
10:01am Sat 19 Feb 11
I regret it now! How I would have loved to be able to play the piano like Oscar Peterson or the trumpet like Louis Armstrong (wishful thinking of course, but even a modest level would have been better than nothing). I still recall the first time I ever saw Nigel Kennedy was on-stage at Watford Town Hall as a 14-year-old, where he was brought on as a guest to accompany the brilliant jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli, who had discovered him at Yehudi Menhuin's school. Together, they brought the house down.
Of course John is right that music enriches children's lives. Every school should have a music teacher, but I see no reason for any bureaucatic overseer with a silly job title to exist at all, especially on such an inflated salary. Music teachers are well qualified to do their job without some interfering busybody at county hall pulling their strings.
I am also adamant that parents should take more responsibility for encouraging their children if they have talent. Schools have taken away too much of the responsibilities of parents for bringing up children and it's high time some of it was given back.
enlightened one
says...
10:54am Sat 19 Feb 11
s/w :help-weak , precisely what the iincumbants of these jobs don't do !
busbee says...
4:58pm Fri 18 Feb 11
We all know that there is a political disagreement about the relative importance of the 3 Rs, and subjects like music, between political parties.
Labour had every right to teach children how to play music just as the Tories have every right to ban these things when and if they win elections.
OK it's a bit naff to call it Head of P&P, but that's a Plain English issue, where personally I think the Mail has a point.
Dishonest journalism is as bad as dishonest MPs fiddling their expenses.