surplus to requirements

Being summoned to an all-

staff briefing at a day’s

notice is never a good

sign.

Especially when that day’s

a Sunday.

Policy PoliceA Prologue.

Surplus to Requirements

Following a meeting of the AMADEUS* Group

at the weekend…

…it has been decided that Technology Division will

be laterally restructured from the Agency.

* Agency, Ministerial And Departmental

Efficiency Utilisation Strategy

“Laterally Restructured”?

You know. Lateral… sideways.

Through the window and on to the street.

But they don’t have windows in Tech Div’s basement.

We’re on the Strategic Board.

We were planning next year’s budget.

I thought we were part of the

Inner Circle.You were. This decision was taken at the Inner Core.

It’s cruel. Some of them haven’t seen daylight in years.

The lucky ones will find another damp basement

someplace…

…but where will I sleep

now?

It’s the ones who tried to fit the corporate mould I feel sorry for.

They never made convincing

suits.

What happens to all the Tech stuff

they used to do.

It gets devolved to the

front line.

What’s that mean?

It means everybody

does their own Tech stuff.

Ooh! Shopping! I can do that.

I knew there’d be somebody,

somewhere who’d think it was a good idea.

Wasn’t there supposed to be a Tech Strategy for the Agency.

Tech Div were leading

on that.

They had to ensure the Agency used technology to

be agile in a turbulent

environment.

If they were leading, who was doing the work?

They had to exert their influence on

everybody else.

Their vastinfluence?

Unfortunately everybody else was bigger and

uglier.

And agile?

How can a monster like the Agency be agile?

Isn’t agile for cats?

Making change happen at the Agency is a bit like turning a supertanker.

Like turning what?

You know, a big ship.

Sorry, but I don’t know any sailors.

I knew some once. All they were

interested in was drugs and

group sex.

Prob’ly explains why turning a supertanker’s

so hard.

Sigh…

But when the time came, Tech Div didn’t see it

coming.

The axe fell and they just

weren’t agile enough to get out the way.