Is Local Government really a Job Creation Scheme?

On the 26th November last year I phoned our local council to report the state of the tree outside my house. During the winds, quite a few branches (1" or more in diameter) had fallen and I felt that it was potentially dangerous to passers-by. I removed the fallen branches from the footpath to the council-owned grass verge thinking that I'd leave them for the council's workers to see.
Yesterday, I received a letter from the council's transport department, thanking me for my phone call and advising me that the Forestry and Aboricultural [sic] Advisor for the County Council has been asked to make an inspection when he is next in the area, following which I will be advised of any action to be taken.
What happened to the good old-fashioned odd-job team of my era, a couple of men in a truck who would do deal with things like this along with other minor jobs like loose paving stones and minor pot-holes? Before anything can be done, someone in a (posh) car has to come along and inspect it first, probably costing the tax payer more than it costs to do the actual job.
Are these the people who have threatened to strike of the Government makes any cuts to publice services? If so, I'm hardly going to miss them!