BA To Appoint Independent Person To Promote Ethical Standards

[JennyMorgan]

9 hours ago, floydraser said:

I wonder if they would pay my travelling expenses from Leicestershire?

Hmm... where do I sign? 

They have paid some pretty amazing travelling expenses in the past, go for it!

[MauriceMynah]

"BA To Appoint Independent Person To Promote Ethical Standards"

If the BA really wanted to address the problem then the headline should read...

..."BA To Appoint Independent Person To Highlight Unethical Standards."

[SteveO]

The problem with these arrangements is that they rely on an organisation marking its own scorecard. Even though the individual in this role is described as "independent", he or she is an appointee of BA senior management  and in terms of corporate governance, it is the senior folks who tend to be responsible for the biggest issues, and have the power to suppress them. In practice, such roles tend to just become a "fig leaf" and a stick with which to beat the "little people" in the organisation. 

[JennyMorgan]

2 hours ago, SteveO said:

The problem with these arrangements is that they rely on an organisation marking its own scorecard. Even though the individual in this role is described as "independent", he or she is an appointee of BA senior management  and in terms of corporate governance, it is the senior folks who tend to be responsible for the biggest issues, and have the power to suppress them. In practice, such roles tend to just become a "fig leaf" and a stick with which to beat the "little people" in the organisation. 

There have been a number of incidents when the Authority has marked its own scorecard so to speak. When not marking directly it has certainly controlled the published outcome of reports. In one instance I attended, as a member of the Navigation Committee, a national park review. Under the leadership of the Nav Com Chairman we didn't mince our words, we had one opportunity and we took it. The published result had next to no resemblance to what we had collectively submitted.  

If ever you try complaining, to an MP for example, the complaint is simply forwarded to the BA for their comment which will be suitably doctored and whitewashed.

As for being an appointee of BA senior management, it runs rather deeper than that. Appointees tend to be carefully selected and being pliable and suitably helpful to the cause is seen as being entirely desirable. 

The gist of SteveO's posting is spot on. 

[floydraser]

But isn't that just the way with every organisation, management, political party and even the committee of your local golf/tennis/wild west/model aeroplane club, and the WI?

[JennyMorgan]

57 minutes ago, floydraser said:

But isn't that just the way with every organisation, management, political party and even the committee of your local golf/tennis/wild west/model aeroplane club, and the WI?

Don't know about the WI!

In this instance we are dealing with a quango, unaccountable, often untrusted and largely unelected. Dr Teflon in charge!

[floydraser]

44 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

Don't know about the WI!

Bet you do. How many times have you seen Calendar Girls?

[unclemike]

7 minutes ago, floydraser said:

Bet you do. How many times have you seen Calendar Girls?

seen it, he was in it, second from the left with a blond wig

[JennyMorgan]

21 minutes ago, floydraser said:

Bet you do. How many times have you seen Calendar Girls?

Just once but that was all about actresses and actors.

Whether they have their all embracing dictator in charge I really don't know!

[SteveO]

2 hours ago, floydraser said:

But isn't that just the way with every organisation, management, political party and even the committee of your local golf/tennis/wild west/model aeroplane club, and the WI?

I think that the big difference with the BA is that it isn't really accountable to anyone. Most organisations have specific lines of accountability, and most governance systems involve some form of regular independent review or audit or even direct election of governing bodies.  As far as I am aware, any such scrutiny only happens at the BA when the "noise" from disgruntled stakeholders becomes difficult for MPs to ignore.

 

[floydraser]

18 minutes ago, SteveO said:

I think that the big difference with the BA is that it isn't really accountable to anyone. Most organisations have specific lines of accountability, and most governance systems involve some form of regular independent review or audit or even direct election of governing bodies.  As far as I am aware, any such scrutiny only happens at the BA when the "noise" from disgruntled stakeholders becomes difficult for MPs to ignore.

 

My point is that any group of people in an organisation will naturally form cliques and will want to recruit one of their own. In that respect the BA is no different to anywhere else and we shouldn't be surprised. 

[Turnoar]

Even if you’re a quango you’d normally expect to see a regulatory body hovering over and perhaps undertaking assessments from time to time to check that required standards are being met, certainly the norm for public sector contracting authorities. It’s not immediately obvious from BA website who that might be viz “regulated by the xyz authority”. This is separate to internally appointed audit committees etc. who are usually answerable to the regulator in such assessments. SteveO I think you’re saying they are self regulating entirely, Floyd’ what you’re suggesting is what will happen in this scenario!

[SteveO]

14 minutes ago, Turnoar said:

 SteveO I think you’re saying they are self regulating entirely, Floyd’ what you’re suggesting is what will happen in this scenario!

I am not sure that they are entirely self-regulating, but lines of accountability are certainly not transparent.    I agree with Floyd that, when people of similar interests select people to work with, they will tend to pick those with similar interests to their own. 

[Timbo]

 As a handsome, witty, modest, intelligent and personable chap, mentally sound, tends to know what he's talking about, freely admits when he doesn't, dresses with impeccable taste and discernment,always smells divine and Chairman of this organization... I  refute allegations that I choose people with similar interests, qualities and attributes to join our organization!

[MauriceMynah]

I think I'd prefer one of the Beagles... either one!

[Maxwellian]

Go for Toby. Much brighter than his dad.

[AndyTBoater]

I would imagine that this post is more of a "critical friend" role than one that can influence any policy, procedures and ethical standards

So if the Ethical Standard One says "Thou shalt not inflate frogs with a bike pump" and someone inflates a frog with a bike pump this person should be able to hold the frog inflator to account.

If Ethical Standard One says "Thou shalt not inflate frogs with a bike pump" and someone inflates a frog using a straw then they have no teeth to call anyone to account (and one fewer frog)

If Ethical Standard Three states" Thou shalt not inflate frogs with a bike pump unless the inflator deems it necessary for the good of the organisation" then what recourse do we have? What benefit would a role such as the one advertised have?

It may not be the organisations employee/ volunteer that is at fault - more a case of the carefully worded ethical standards to which they must conduct their business.

This post was brought to you in collaboration with "the Royal Society for the Inclusion of the Word "FROG" in Everyday Language (RSIWFEL)

(9 uses of the word FROG including this one.)

[MauriceMynah]

Vaughan, I think our friend AndyTBoater is referring to our amphibious friends, not our dear cousins across the English Channel, so put that bloody bicycle pump down.

[Vaughan]

2 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

not our dear cousins across the English Channel,

A great deal of the "cousins" that I have had to work with are perfectly capable of over-inflating their own egos, without any help from me!

As to our amphibious friends and their delectable legs, I think it was Evelyn Waugh, when writing of his travels, who said that he found the French have a revolting pre-occupation with food!

[Bytheriver]

I will take great interest in seeing how many look into Fridays BA meeting - 24 last time I am sure the Authority & Officers are quite aware of the number of people who are watching & listening.