So the Government wants to save money? Well, how about this for a start . . . I rang Cardiff Trading Standards to get some advice for a customer, who has several stores, this particular one, in Caerphilly. The Trading Standards officer informed me she couldn't help - I had to contact the office covering that area.
'I just want some basic assistance!' I said. (Trading Standards are identical throughout the UK!) She insisted I had to speak to the Caerphilly office - then she began to give me their telephone number, starting with '01495.' - I interrupted her . . 'But that's Torfaen' I said, Caerphilly numbers begin the same as Cardiff numbers, (i.e.) 02920?'
'Yes.' she said. 'But we don't have an office actually in Caerphilly, so you have to ring the nearest office, which is in Torfaen!'
Not just a different town, but a different Borough!
. . . . If there's a need to cut overheads, how about one central Trading Standards call centre, instead of God knows how many different ones' all giving the SAME advice!