JHC - Why?

[SnakePeel]

Would someone with long trousers please explain why the decision to delay the turning on of heating at Oxfordshires Heli Base has been delayed a month. The blocks are freezing and I suspect those that made the decision are now tucked up in bed in their warm MQ's or respective messes.

The rank and files teeth are chattering in their beds to save a few measly pennies.......shame on you JHC!

[wokkameister]

Explain, Policy, JHC Hummmmmm, Ah Yes! - Money!

[fantaman]

Its ridiculous, nothing short of a scandal. Those :mad: who make the decisions will be warm and cosy tonight while the guys and gals living in the blocks at Benson are freezing their nuts off just to save a few bob.

My money is on them turning it on the day before we start christmas grant.

[althenick]

JHC - Why?
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Would someone with long trousers please explain why the decision to delay the turning on of heating at RAF Benson has been delayed a month. The blocks are freezing and I suspect those that made the decision are now tucked up in bed in their warm MQ's or respective messes.
The rank and files teeth are chattering in their beds to save a few measly pennies.......shame on you JHC!
SHHHH - Or they might send you somewhere warmer. :E
Seriously though it is getting a bit hill-billy

[Melchett01]

Probably delayed a month or so until late Oct / early Nov. Had the same thing last year when we had a relatively mild Oct; heating should have been turned on 1 Oct or thereabouts, but turning it on 1 Nov saved 20K.

My guess is a repeat of last year. Not a drama for me as I am a Northerner more comfortable in Norway than the desert; but I can see the point of view of some of the more 'southern' members of staff.

But yes, it is likely due to saving money rather than global warming.

Why JHC...... that is another question entirely!

[Tigs2]

Take the temp inside the blocks. Unless you love digging snow holes, there are min temps for work and accommodation.

[Father Jack Hackett]

Had the same thing at Aldergrove not too long ago - absolutely gibbering in the mess. Then someone took some TI footage of Harry's quarter..... Must have had an energy bill coming close to Al Gore's pied-a-terre!

As for a certain regimental 2 ic's fanatical campaign of turning lights off everywhere in the mess - I don't know how many times I nearly broke my neck trying to find enough light switches, Marcel Marceau style, to illuminate the shining path from the bar back to my room. Few pennies saved versus big compensation claim anyone?

[Fareastdriver]

You think it’s bad, try other parts of the world. Government offices in China are heated by a centralised system. The !st of November is the day and then it goes on. No thermostats, all the radiators are on at full bore. The demarcation line is the Yangtze River, south of that there is no heating, north of it you get the lot. A major industrial city called Wuhan, a combination of Wuzhou and Hankou, straddles the Yangtze, (remember the run of HMS Amethyst down the Yangtze in 1949), has this problem. You go to a government office in one side of the river and they are poncing about in shorts and on the other side they are all wearing overcoats.

[FantomZorbin]

They're still repairing the boilers from last Winter :E!

[Door Slider]

Snake,

Your not one of these lazy gits that drives the 200m from one side of camp to the other so you dont have to walk, or get cold in your case!! :}

Always makes me laugh in winter, people spend 15mins defrosting their car, drive it for 3-4 mins and get out. Alternatively just walk for 5 mins and hey presto!!!!

[Always a Sapper]

Explain, Policy, JHC Hummmmmm, Ah Yes! - Money!
Probably not so far from the truth there wokkameister



They're still repairing the boilers from last Winter !


As wokkameister and FantomZorbin said, but don't always blame the Contractor!

I expect the place is heated using the old District Heating System (Boiler House with centrally located HTHW Boilers supplying an underground distribution system to Calorifiers located in the blocks etc for the LTHW) that’s been in place since the late 1940's / early 50's...

Very uneconomic to run (heat loss is amazing) and maintenance wise they were very very under funded post PSA during the days of the Property Manager / EWC / WSM when the Units via the CO / Staish and Prom had control of the budgets, (couldn’t see it see, under the ground etc out of sight and all that... ) but tis funny how things like new carpets in the ivory towers etc always seemed to get funding, (you can see that).... but the core infrastructure was often left until it actually began to fall apart .... :=


Apart from the obvious stuff like burst pipes in the heating ducts (and you don’t want to be around when that happens with the pressure and temperature's these things run at) remedial work is often identified when the units are opened up at the end of the heating season for routine maintenance and the statuary competent person inspection. 90% of the time the work is started as soon as possible, but where identified major work needs to be planned etc and DE funded! .... here comes the problem, this year funding across the estate was shall we say err interesting? and no doubt in a lot of case's led to work being either being binned or started late, with the resultant late completion.... :mad:


Of course, it may just be down to an 'over enthusiastic' Station Energy Manager....... moving them to the coldest draught ridden building on site often helps with the early start up of the heating systems...... :E

There is also a 'wee' scuffle going on in the sandpits at the moment and personnally, if the Defence Budget was that tight and it came down to it I would rather the pennies were spent on kit the lads 'n' lass'es need out there than painting the odd office or cutting the mess lawn back here, tis all a case of priority me thinks.

[vecvechookattack]

I just wish that whoever is in charge of heating at Culdrose would turn it OFF..... bloomin' place is boiling...phew, gasp:\

[AonP]

My response to very cold living accommodation that no-one seems to take any notice of was to buy a £10 electric fan heater about 2 years ago. I now take it to every Mess I stay in (including my room at my Parent Unit) and have a pefectly warm room!

Remember you dont pay the electricity bill - use as much of it as you see fit and make sure the rest of the lads do the same! The only snag is the dodgy electrics in some places which mean the fuses trip occasionally - but again its not you that pays for Works Services to conme out and reset them!

Standing by for incomming form the enviromentalists!

[Roadster280]

Excuse my idiocy here for a moment, but isn't the concept of budgets a little idiotic when it comes to this kind of thing?

To me, IF the government wants, say, X helos, and they are based at say, RAF Benson, then it costs Y to provide the equipment and maintenance, and Z to provide the troops and accomodation. What happens if the POL budget is cut? Sorry, the gearbox oil that was due changing at 1000 hours will have to soldier on to 1500 hours. Is that going to work? I think not.

So the same applies to buildings. YThe heating system costs Y pounds to maintain and operate per annum. End of. It's not negotiable.

SAC Bloggs gets paid xxx pounds per annum, and is entitled to yyy pounds in allowances. It's a finite sum. Bloggs would be PVRing if Harry says, "Bloggs, you're going to have to find a 15% cut in your salary budget".

IMHO, IF the government wants a military capability of whatever, the service chiefs should be going to the government and saying. No problem sir, it will cost xx billion. It is then up to the government to provide that sum from the Treasury. If that sum is curtailed, then so is the capability, but it should not compromise the quality of the remaining capability.

Budgets my arse. It should be done on a cost basis.

[soprano54]

It's got naff all to do with JHC! Phone up the station SHEF advisor and I think you'll find it will be going on fairly soon, in the meantime put some clothes on!!!:ok:

[The Helpful Stacker]

I'd vote for Roadster280.

[Always a Sapper]

To me, IF the government wants, say, X helos, and they are based at say, RAF Benson, then it costs Y to provide the equipment and maintenance, and Z to provide the troops and accomodation. What happens if the POL budget is cut? Sorry, the gearbox oil that was due changing at 1000 hours will have to soldier on to 1500 hours. Is that going to work? I think not.

So the same applies to buildings. YThe heating system costs Y pounds to maintain and operate per annum. End of. It's not negotiable.

SAC Bloggs gets paid xxx pounds per annum, and is entitled to yyy pounds in allowances. It's a finite sum. Bloggs would be PVRing if Harry says, "Bloggs, you're going to have to find a 15% cut in your salary budget".

IMHO, IF the government wants a military capability of whatever, the service chiefs should be going to the government and saying. No problem sir, it will cost xx billion. It is then up to the government to provide that sum from the Treasury. If that sum is curtailed, then so is the capability, but it should not compromise the quality of the remaining capability.

Budgets my arse. It should be done on a cost basis.


If only Roadster280, if only.....

IMHO Prime Contracting, has in some respects improved the condition of the estate and is continuing to do so but due to the years of neglect it's like trying to push water uphill...... we will get there one day, but until Brown links a properly funded defence to votes I'm not holding my breath!

[serf]

Never mind...............extra time off at chrimbo to save money on utilities.

[Always a Sapper]

I just wish that whoever is in charge of heating at Culdrose would turn it OFF..... bloomin' place is boiling...phew, gasp


..... No sooner said than done vecvechookattack :D TSC report the job is on the system :E

... shall we say a cool 5 degrees for starters? :eek: :E:E:E

[SnakePeel]

I know, it was a rhetorical question but playing finances with hard serving servicepersons comforts is a morale sapping gamble. When one of HM servicepersons asks me why they are having to buy their own heaters in service accommodation I admit I cannot provide them with a reasonable answer. I also should not be put in that position.

If our servicemen and women are our most important asset then the chain of command had better start valuing then as such...........but for a nail the horse was lost etc etc.

[aviate1138]

When I was at Benson a few ORs got caught crawling through the main heating pipe duct into the WAAF's quarters. Well it was a long time ago [1959/60] and they had to keep warm somehow.
Probably still got the same heating system. Ducting blocked off now though!
Queen's Flight kept warm by polishing aircraft. :rolleyes:

[akula]

AonP has the right idea, several winters ago a unit I was at tried on the "energy efficiency" scam by keeping the heating off until mid November.

All everyone did, was to go and buy the electric blow heaters and leave them running nearly 24/7, not too long after that a decree came down that they were a fire hazard and not authorised for use in service accommodation. The poor electric meter nearly spun into orbit, but the heating went on sharpish so a moral victory against the penny pinchers.

ALWAYS assume NEVER check

[plans123]

All the livers in pay accomodation charge, which I always took to cover lighting, water and oh hang on a sec.......heating. :ok:

Maybe those at Benson should try claiming back some money for the lack of heating that they've paid for. Where's that on JPA..... :}

[soprano54]

Snakepeel I see the heatings on now, I suppose you'll be blaming JHC for the racket the pipes are making!!!:ugh:

[SaddamsLoveChild]

Probably Rats...........