Normally, Mikey Ellis’s office likes to keep us all abreast of everything he’s doing in his Northampton North constituency, but last Thursday’s visit to the A4E offices, in Sheep Street, was not one of them.
Luckily, A4E’s press people were there to document the fact-finding visit to see how the public service provider was doing with the Work Programme which it is delivering on behalf of the Government.
Mikey said: “I was delighted to visit A4E in Northampton to see the great work they are doing as part of the Government’s ‘Work Programme’ to help jobseekers back in to work.” (Etc etc.)
Aufona wonders what was said about the previous night’s extraordinary (watch it, it is) Channel 4 News interview in which A4E’s former chief, Emma Harrison – who quit the organisation amid a fraud investigation in February – had to reject claims A4E had found employment for more than six months for just four per cent of its Work Programme referrals.
A4E – whose £180m turnover last year was down entirely to Government welfare contracts – paid £11m in dividends last year, 87 per cent to Ms Harrison. Not sure if Mikey did ask: “So, did you see Channel 4 News last night?” We suspect not.
Unreported world: Forgot to mention Terence Wire’s side-swipe at The Mack during last week’s full council meeting at the Guildhall. The Mack had been getting into his stride talking about all the regeneration projects (station, Project Angel etc) that were now moving since he’d taken over as boss. Professor Glynane rose to let rip that he was taking credit for the Lib Dems’ work, before Labour’s veteran leader went straight for the jugular: “You were 12 when some of this stuff was first mooted”. Ouch.
A warm welcome to County Hall’s first UKIP councillor, Alan Pote. It may have been one of the worst kept secrets that the member for Rothwell would be crossing the floor to UKIP, but he should liven up proceedings. We’ve not yet approached The United Grand Lodge of England for a quote but we suspect UKIP has the odd Freemason on its books. Just the odd one, mind . . .
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