UNISON report on the Audit scrutiny of the One Barnet NSCSO & DRS Projects:

From: John Burgess
Sent: 20 November 2012 18:03
To: Andreas Ioannidis; cllr.a.brodkin@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.campbell@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.cornelius@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.finn@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.harper@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.hutton@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.moore@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.schneiderman@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.slocombe@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.sodha@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.strongolou@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.a.tambourides@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.b.coleman@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.b.evangeli@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.b.gordon@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.b.perry@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.b.rawlings@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.b.salinger@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.b.schama@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.c.farrier@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.c.omacauley@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.c.rogers@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.c.salinger@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.d.longstaff@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.d.seal@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.d.thomas@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.d.yawitch@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.e.greenspan@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.g.cooke@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.g.johnson@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.g.old@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.g.sargeant@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.h.hart@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.h.rayner@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.j.cohen@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.j.hart@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.j.johnson@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.j.marshall@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.j.scannell@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.j.tambourides@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.j.tierney@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.k.mcguirk@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.l.rutter@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.m.braun@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.m.cohen@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.m.palmer@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.m.shooter@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.p.coakleywebb@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.r.cornelius@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.r.houston@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.r.rams@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.r.thompstone@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.r.turner@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.s.khatri@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.s.palmer@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.s.rajput@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.s.sowerby@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.t.davey@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.w.prentice@barnet.gov.uk; cllr.z.zubairi@barnet.gov.uk; Mittra, Cllr Arjun
Cc: ‘Terry, Stephen’
Subject: UNISON report on the Audit scrutiny of the One Barnet NSCSO & DRS Projects:
Importance: High

 

Dear Councillor

 

On Thursday 22 November a report naming the preferred bidder for the NSCSO Project will be published.

 

Please find enclosed UNISON report entitled ‘Report on the Audit scrutiny of the One Barnet NSCSO & DRS Projects.’

(To view report click here)

The report is accompanied by a number of Appendixes (A- D) some of which are internal audit reports and one is a Health Check report.

APPENDIX A here

APPENDIX B here

APPENDIX C here

APPENDIX D here

In relation to Appendix A &B please note the following:

“This document has been prepared only for London Borough of Barnet Management and solely for the purpose and on the terms and scope agreed with management.  We accept no liability (including for negligence) to anyone else in connection with this document, and it should not be relied upon by any third party.”

As ever if there is a point of clarification or concern please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

Public Sector Comparator – Best Practice example Edinburgh

Dear Councillors

 

On Thursday 22 November the report naming the preferred bidder for NSCSO is to be published.

 

I want to take an opportunity to provide you all with a real example of a Public Sector Comparator (internal improvement plan) looks like in practice.

 

You should all be aware that the One Barnet Programme has not followed best practice in adopting a Public Sector Comparator alongside the Competitive Dialogue Process.

 

This enclosed report from Edinburgh Council (to view click here) provides an insight into how a complex procurement process has been open to public scrutiny and information has been shared with councillors and key stakeholders.

 

The key elements coming out of this report include :

 

1. Scrutiny

Under paragraph 4.9 the report refers to Gateway Reviews being carried out throughout the lifetime of the procurement process.

 

1.1  Have there been any such reviews to provide robust independent assurance to guide ‘councillors’ in Barnet Council?

1.2  If so, have they been made available to councillors?

 

2. Independent Validation

In 5.3 of the report KPMG recognises the importance of the public sector comparator and the report concludes:

 

“KPMG were commissioned to assess the deliverability and associated risks and benefits of the internal improvement plan or public sector comparator. The review concluded that, whilst the public sector comparator provided a legitimate comparison for the purposes of the procurement process, that further work was required to develop the vision into a robust design and deliverable plan.”

 

2.1 On what grounds was the inclusion of a public sector comparator ruled out of procurement process?

 

3. Information to councillors

 

In the case in Edinburgh councillors were independently informed of the critical risks around procurement savings under paragraph 4.11 of the report where it states:

 

“The latest review has also highlighted the risks identified at 4.7 associated with Capita’s procurement savings proposals. The Gateway Review emphasises the importance of a robust risk assessment of both the internal and external proposals.

 

The Capita Bid provides greater savings but the councillors were informed under the Risk section about the critical risks for the deliverability of savings including the following:

·         “Complex commercial mechanisms for calculation and delivery of savings expose the Council to significant risks that may have financial or operational impact

 

·         Realisation of procurement savings has significant dependency on services in other areas of the Council which are not directly influenceable by either the Partner or the Intelligent Client Function

 

·         External changes to implement Universal Credit represents major service change that will require early and effective management.”

 

3.1 Have councillors been provided with the risks to the deliverability of the savings as provided to Edinburgh Councillors included in Appendix 2

 

Recommendation:

 

Councillors are unable to take an informed decision about the NSCSO contract award until the following has been completed.

 

·         Public sector comparator for NSCSO is completed to compare alongside the preferred bidders solution

·         Independent validation of the deliverability of savings and assessment of associated risks

·         Comprehensive series of Gateway Reviews for NSCSO       

Public Services are littered with broken promises, contact variations and changes which always end up costing the tax payer more.

 

 

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

PRESENTATION BY UNISON ON THE FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATORY SERVICES (DRS) AND THE NEW SUPPORT AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT ORGANISATION (NSCSO

Dear Councillor,

 

REMINDER INVITATION TO A PRESENTATION BY UNISON ON THE FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATORY SERVICES (DRS) AND THE NEW SUPPORT AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT ORGANISATION (NSCSO) IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BARNET

 

In a few weeks time on 6 December the Council’s Cabinet will take a decision on award of a contract for the New Support and Customer Support Organisation (NSCSO.) The options they are likely to be presented with is to award the ten year contract to a consortium comprising BT and EC Harris or one comprising Capita and Barnet Homes, although the decision not to award to either or to defer decision are options still available. The award could result in several hundred jobs being lost out of the borough to elsewhere in the UK.

 

A month later on 8 January the Cabinet will take a similar decision on award of the Development and Regulatory Services contract (DRS). The options this time will be to award to either Capita Symonds or EC Harris, but in addition will probably include a proposal for the Council to enter a joint venture with the recommended bidder. These decisions are very high risk for the Council, they involve many of the critical statutory services for which the Council is held responsible under law. Moreover, joint ventures are both notoriously problematic for public bodies, shifting the financial and statutory risk to them for minimal benefit whilst taking accountability away from locally elected councillors. Again, options will remain for the Cabinet to decide not to award the contract, or to defer decision.

 

These are complex and difficult decisions for the council and UNISON, the public service union, is concerned that elected members are given every opportunity to understand and explore these before decisions are taken. For this reason UNISON cordially invites you to a presentation and discussion on Wednesday 14 November at Hendon Town Hall, Committee Room 1, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm.

The presentation will seek to explain the contract procurement process, including the option of setting up a  joint venture and the risks that the Council is taking in awarding these contracts to external companies. It will also provide opportunities for discussion and explore the options open to the Council at this late stage.

 

UNISON is seeking a genuine dialogue with elected members on the One Barnet Project, particularly concerning the capacity for LB Barnet to run such a large scale out sourcing project and the potential risks associated with it. Our concerns are practical, at heart concerns for the quality and value of services to council tax payers and for the reputation of the council, not ideological.

 

UNISON would very much appreciate you taking the time to hear what we have to say and discuss these issues with us. All elected members of the Council are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be available at the start of the meeting.

Please RSVP to Julie Woods, UNISON Regional Office on 0207 535 6564 or alternatively you can email j.woods@unison.co.uk

 

Yours sincerely

 

Linda Perks

Regional Secretary

UNISON GLR

 

 

 

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