The European Union is developing new public procurement regulations. Many in the public sector and many service providers from the business, social enterprise and voluntary and community sectors have long argued that a major overhaul was necessary.
Further there is a need to consider how the UK legislators have incorporated the current regulations into domestic regulations and how they are...
The next few years will be very bleak in terms of spending cuts, but the public sector has to find ways to mitigate their impact. Local scrutiny of budget decisions is more critical than ever
Public bodies including local authorities are being forced to cut their expenditure and consequently, to stop, reduce or significantly change a range of public services....
I had the privilege to chair an excellent discussion at the ResPublica fringe meeting on public service innovation. The conversation focused primarily but not exclusively on the social sector’s contribution.
Speakers including Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, acknowledged that the social sector – charities, community groups, social enterprises and co-operatives – have a long record of innovation. And whilst...
You might be tempted to think that one of the great strengths of the voluntary and community sector, and indeed the wider social sector, is that, as they are not the public or business sectors, they are not bound by the latter sectors’ governance systems and standards. If so, then you would be wrong.
Of course, many organisations in the...
A recent poll by the ‘We Own It’ campaign organisation identified that a staggering 58% of those surveyed believe that Serco and G4S should be barred from bidding for public service contracts if they are found guilty of fraud. Both companies are under investigation following accusations relating to Ministry of Justice contracts.
Some politicians and commentators have gone further. Sadiq...
The Ministry of Justice’s approach to outsourcing probation contracts will be a test of the government’s commitment to voluntary, social, mutual and co-operative organisations. Many fear the real agenda is to transfer services to large business providers
The government is undertaking a major shake-up of the probation and rehabilitation services and has decided to outsource the majority of these services...
John Tizard
Public Services Summit
Croke Park, Dublin
18th September 2013
Good morning!
It’s great to be in Dublin for this public services summit.
Leadership matters. Here at Croke Park we turn to sport.
Successful teams have great leadership on the field and on the touch line!
David Moyes or Sir Alex. Leaders matter.
Public services can learn from sport.
I am looking forward to hearing from colleagues and...
Throughout 2012 and 2013, we have seen an increasing litany of press reports, official enquiries and more recently Serious Fraud Office and police investigations on high-profile public service outsourcing contracts and contractors.
From the Olympic Games security staffing to the Ministry of Justice tagging contracts to prisoner transport and GP services contracts – some big issues and questions have been...