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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 I just worry about the ability of a Trust that is struggling to do better when their funds (our money) is withdrawn.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.

Updates

2014-09-04 12:51:04 +0100

25 signatures reached

2014-05-26 16:21:56 +0100

10 signatures reached