Just to confirm that at one of the staff briefings today council workers were told that BT & Capita were two successful bidders through to the next round of the £750million pound contract to run support services and a call centre.
The unlucky bidders were Serco and HCL Axon (Consortium)
A fuller report will be produced in due course.
The staggering news coming out of Somerset reinforces Barnet UNISON’s concerns about the evidence to support the savings claimed by the One Barnet projects.
SouthwestOne involves one of the biggest Multinational companies in the world. It was touted as a no brainer by its supporters. It was shrouded in secrecy, but residents, politicans and staff were told it was the best way to prepare for the future.
The comments coming from the Conservative Leader of Somerset Council are extraordinary
“failing to deliver promised savings; failing to cope with a changing financial landscape; failing to be flexible enough to adapt in challenging times and provide the best possible value for money.”
All of these points have been repeatedly raised by UNISON is the countless number of reports we have been producing over the last four years.
Take a look at the latest news coming out of Somerset.
The Conservative leader of Somerset County Council, Councillor Ken Maddock
“We need a council that can cope with future government cuts and rising demand.
“Sadly, Southwest One is failing. It is failing to deliver promised savings; failing to cope with a changing financial landscape; failing to be flexible enough to adapt in challenging times and provide the best possible value for money.
Somerset County Council says SouthWest One ‘not delivering’
In 2007, the IBM won an administration and back office task contract, to save the Conservative-led authority about £180m, over 10 years.
“SouthWest One’s accounts year-on-year, show losses, staggering losses, just published of £31m, and failures to meet modest savings targets,” said Mr Maddock.
“Mr Maddock said as a result of its performance, a review would be carried out on all council services in order to achieve the savings it needed, a figure he estimated to be £20m.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-17066330
Southwest One gets £10m IBM loan amid ‘staggering’ losses
The leader of Somerset county council, Ken Maddock, has said that Southwest One is failing to deliver, that its accounts show “staggering losses” of £31.5m and “failures to hit modest savings targets”.
Southwest One was set up in 2007 as a joint venture between IBM, Somerset county council, Taunton Deane borough council and Avon and Somerset police to modernise the public sector bodies’ business processes.
Maddock told a council meeting: “It is failing to deliver promised savings; failing to cope with a changing financial landscape; failing to be flexible enough to adapt in challenging times and provide the best possible value for money.”
IBM hook-up with councils loses £31.5m By Gill Hitchcock, Guardian Government Computing, 17 February, 2012
The leader of Somerset county council, Ken Maddock, has said that Southwest One is failing to deliver, that its accounts show “staggering losses” of £31.5m and “failures to hit modest savings targets”.
http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/business-of-it/2012/02/17/ibm-hook-up-with-councils-loses-315m-40095068/
‘Failing’ Southwest One comes under fire from Somerset County Council leader
A controversial venture set up to save taxpayers millions of pounds has lost £31 million and is so inflexible that it is making the job of finding savings even harder.
The Conservative leader of Somerset County Council, Councillor Ken Maddock, launched a blistering attack on the public-private partnership Southwest One at the council’s packed budget-fixing meeting yesterday.
Southwest One receives IBM rescue loan
Southwest One, the troubled West Country council shared services venture, has confirmed it has received urgent funding from its supplier.
IBM has issued a multimillion pound loan to Southwest One, in order to keep the venture afloat. Southwest One, in its latest annual accounts issued this month, reported a £31 million loss.
http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/3338025/southwest-one-bailed-out-by-ibm/
86% of our members in Social Care Direct took part in the action last week. This is a great start to their campaign to remain as Council Employees. Some were able to take part in the picket line – probably the coldest picket line we’ve had so far – and a couple came with us to help out on the voluntary project. Most people do not find it easy taking part in strike action and so a big congratulations goes out to those colleagues and to all those who sent messages of support and encouragement. A big thank you to those who wore green and purple on the day also!
