25 signatures reached
To: The government
Stop imposing fines on organisations funded by taxpayers.
I accept that organisations that fail to come up with the goods must be penalised in some way but I become angry when on the news I hear that "St Elsewhere's Hospital" or the Metropolitan Police has been fined because I know that, in effect, I and all the rest of us who pay taxes will actually pay the fine.
It might be better to take a small but palpable fine from the CEO and others in breach of their terms of service. It's simple enough to withhold an appropriate amount of their remuneration. The opposite of a bonus. Let's call it a "Malus".
It goes without saying that you should sack wrong-doers. I just worry about the ability of a Trust that is struggling to do better when their funds (our money) is withdrawn. After all, you do not throw bricks at a drowning man.
Why is this important?
There must be real accountability for the bad behaviour of individuals, not a counter-productive additional burden on the resources of our public institutions which is shouldered by the very public that have been badly served. It adds insult to injury.
