re. consultations: I've seen this happen from the inside, too. There are times when a change has to be made, and you know it's right, because you're a professional, trained in the field, and know your job. However, nowadays you have to "consult". This means throwing the question open to the public who doesn't understand the issues, and often has its own narrow vested interests in mind. The same few vocal people are the ones that shout, while most people don't put their opinions forward. Yes, I do genuinely believe that the people affected by a service should have a say in how it's run, and it should reflect their needs. However, a lot of the public express their opinion in a knee-jerk way, without understanding the situation. A world shaped entirely by a lot of the people I see out on the streets would be a very scary world indeed.