Bunker Mentality

I went for my much put off IT training today on the Councils new system. Despite having a blog I'm really very technophobic and didn't enjoy the experience. The highlight was finally getting to see the Councils' Peace and Emergency Planning Unit (PEPU) where responses to major disasters are coordinated. I'd like to tell you that it was a Pentagon style bunker 10 floors beneath the City with a retina scan to get in. However it was a very ordinary open plan office with a lot of free computers. If the apocalypse hits Leeds I don't think PEPU will survive much longer than the rest of us. What particularly depressed me was the lack of any natural day light. It made me think of the 80's drama "Threads" which scared my childhood imagination.

Other depressing news (IMHO) is that the Councils new IT system will have a "chat room" style facility allowing Councillors to have real time discussion with collegues on line. Given that we already have vintage round robin email rows god alone knows what the impact of chat rooms will be.

The only shaft of light in the afternoon was having a good chin wag with Cllr Jack Dunn ( Lab , Ardsley and Robin Hood ) which I have always thought was the best ward name in Leeds. Not surprisingly he was all for a snap election. Perhaps soon we'll be running an emergency response of our own.