Remember the IBM takeover in Somerset—SouthwestOne?
Remember the ITV documentary on the IBM takeover of Somerset Council? In the documentary the Somerset Chief Executive explained that he visualised other councils queuing up to join SouthwestOne. Think again! The following story was reported in the Local Government Chronicle:
Alan Jones criticised councils’ unwillingness to consider efficiency projects devised outside their boundaries after the south-west’s biggest two authorities, Devon and Cornwall County Councils , both signalled they would not join the initiative.
The chief executive admitted that no new councils were currently considering entering Southwest One , despite
Institutional chauvinism
Mr Jones queried why councils were not seeking the savings membership offered and concluded: “The answer has got to do with institutional chauvinism. People want something that has been invented in their patch.”
He added: “Our experience is that people are too conservative and cautious — they look a gift horse in the mouth.”
Earlier,
He added: “
Transformed
Meanwhile,
Kevin Lavery, chief executive of Cornwall, which is shortly to be transformed into a county-wide unitary, said that the council was based in a relatively low-wage area and more likely to run services for other authorities than have them provided elsewhere.
“What we don’t want to be in the business of is exporting jobs outside of