Category Archives: public services

Pip And ESA Assessments Are Failing And It Is Time To Assess All Public Service Outsourcing

The report from the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee on the operation of the outsourced PIP and ESA assessments is yet another significant blow public service outsourcing. Though in reality, these blows are being inflicted not by the Select Committee but by poor contractual arrangements, poor contractor performance and, as in the… Read More...

John Tizard and David Walker: Time to stop the ‘love-in’ with public service outsourcing

In a new Smith Institute report, Out of contract: Time to move on from the ‘love in’ with outsourcing and PFI, we are calling for an immediate pause in all public service contracting followed by a root-and-branch review of all existing deals. David Walker This report, published on 22 January. comes in the wake of… Read More...

Charities have a role in public services, but not as surrogate businesses

An urgent review of this model of public service delivery is needed, argue David Walker and John Tizard. The landscape of the UK and in particular England’s public services has changed dramatically over the past few decades. It has been changed by the growth in outsourcing to the business sector and, to a lesser extent,… 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...

Let’s shed some light on public sector contracting

Carillion’s collapse shows public sector outsourcing is risky and limited. It’s time for a rethink and greater scrutiny and transparency, argue John Tizard and David Walker. If last year the charred stump of Grenfell Tower symbolised the failure of arm’s length management of public services, then the collapse of Carillion shows the limits of the… Read More...

Public procurement professionals must step up and speak up in 2018

2018 will be another challenging year for the public sector. Austerity, cuts to funding, staffing and services will continue unless there is either a change of government in Westminster or the current government very surprisingly undergoes a Damascene conversion. Demand for services, especially social care, will continue to grow. There will be ridiculous calls for… Read More...

John Tizard: Don’t avoid social outcomes in public procurement; these can be EU-compliant

Last week when attending the European Public Service Awards (EPSA) Final Event and Awards Ceremony in Maastricht, in addition to meeting, talking with and learning from the many award winners from across Europe it was very encouraging to hear a senior EU Commission official speak about the need to address social outcomes through public procurement.… Read More...

John Tizard: UK public procurement should learn from India and put ‘place’ first

Many local authorities are rightly keen to use their local procurement spending to boost their local economies and communities. While some are making good progress, it is perplexing to find others being hesitant, not least because (incorrectly) they are worried that such action may not be compliant with UK and EU regulations. I have often… Read More...

Practical question to keep Labour’s PFI policy prudent

Labour’s break with PFI is exciting and timely but unpicking deals is likely to be difficult and potentially expensive, argues John Tizard When John McDonnell announced to the Labour Party Conference yesterday that a Labour government would not let one more PFI contract and would bring existing contracts ‘in-house’ you could feel the conference hall… Read More...