Category Archives: local government

Labour’s proposals for an outsourcing revamp reflect a trend of insourcing

Reviews of outsourced public service contracts – as proposed by Labour – should involve a range of stakeholders, says outsourcing commentator John Tizard. John McDonnell and Andrew Gwynne announced this weekend that Labour will reset the default for local government services to be publicly owned, publicly managed and publicly accountable. The policy proposal with its associated guidance… Read More...

Local government must surely be up for a shift to insourcing

Labour’s call for the ‘Democratisation of Local Public Services’ and its ‘plan for 21st century insourcing’ – http://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Democratising-Local-Public-Services.pdf – should be of interest to local authorities of all political persuasions; and welcomed by most. After four decades of outsourcing, more outsourcing, and even more outsourcing of public services, there are signs that local authorities are now beginning… Read More...

What should ex-councillors do next?

This week across the country there will be hundreds and probably thousands of former councillors coming to terms with having lost their seats in the local elections. There will also be a further cadre of ex-councillors who will have freely decided not to seek re-election. And there will be some who, for whatever reason, have… Read More...

When outsourcing it’s vital to assess the full costs – not simply contract price

All too often public sector leaders and managers consider outsourcing public services because they believe it will save money. This can be tempting given the horrendous impact of austerity-driven cuts and budget constraints. With outsourcing as with many other temptations, it is always wise to consider the full implications of the offer before taking a… Read More...

Out of Contract

Public managers and elected members have extensive experience of procuring goods and services and contracting for supply from private firms and charities. But, say you are the new town or county hall leader. New councillors will be asking: do we have an accurate map of council functions, coloured by who carries them out? If it… Read More...

Local authority officers – be ahead of the curve and advise politicians on how to move on from outsourcing

Local government is increasingly questioning the wisdom and efficacy of traditional outsourcing of services to the business sector. Politicians and their senior officers are aware of a raft of high-profile outsourcing failures, and what is more the public is increasingly aware of these. Labour, Conservative and councils with no overall political control are taking services… Read More...

Local government and the voluntary and community sector must find common cause

If we can do this, writes our columnist, a more sustainable and equitable future awaits Local government and the local voluntary and community sector serve the same communities, yet there is not always the level of cooperation between them that one might expect. This has to change. It must not be another victim of austerity.… Read More...

Carillion: Companies can go bust, councils cannot

Carillion has crashed; it’s winter for social care provider Four Seasons. The National Audit Office, using polite accountant speak, has condemned PFI as a giant scam and, implicitly, convicted HM Treasury of gross negligence. For the first time in the 30-year advance of outsourcing in public services, a principal political party is now officially opposed.So… Read More...

Local Government Should Be At The Heart Of Our Democracy – It Must Be Defended And Strengthened

If any authors were going to make the case for local government as a crucial element in the democratic viability of our unitary state and equally as crucial to local social, economic and environmental welfare it would be Professors George Jones, John Stewart and Steve Leach. Their new book ‘Centralisation, Devolution and the Future of… Read More...