Barnet UNISON Press Release: “Deal or no Deal? – UNISON’s reports slam easycouncil business case!”
On Monday 28 March 2011 Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee are being asked to agree the business case to privatise Development & Regulatory Services (DRS) by handing them over to a large private sector multinational company. The first group of council services to be given the ‘easyCouncil’ treatment are Cemeteries, planning, Highways, Land charges, Registrars, Environmental health, Building control, trading standards.
The contract could be worth up to £180 million to the successful private sector organisation.
Professor Dexter Whitfield (European Services Strategy Unit, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Adelaide, with over 35 years experience of planning, researching and analysing local authority policy documents in Britain and overseas) was commissioned by Barnet UNISON three years ago to provide consultancy support for the Easycouncil/Future Shape/One Barnet programme you can view his reports here.
Dexter Whitfield said this about the DRS business case:
· “The DRS Business Case has a superficial appearance of authenticity but is fundamentally not fit for purpose and elected members have a duty to decide it is non-compliant.”
· “There is clearly a high risk that user charges will be increased in order to achieve the income generation targets.”
Adrian Waite (Independent Consultancy Services) was commissioned by Barnet UNISON to examine the financial aspects of the business case. Adrian is a highly experienced and respected local government finance expert. He has held a number of senior roles in local authorities including Director of Finance and s151 Officer and is a fully qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.
Adrian Waite said this about the DRS business case
“During the thirty years that I have worked in local government finance as a local government officer and management consultant, including some time as Finance Director of a Borough Council, I have seen and written many business cases, business plans and options appraisals.”
“This business case is remarkable for the apparent lack of robust evidence to support its main conclusions that £28million of savings and increased income is achievable and that this can only be delivered through outsourcing.”
Barnet UNISON has submitted the two reports to all Barnet councillors including the 6 members of Cabinet Resources Committee.
We are recommending the following:
- The Council should recognise that significant additional work is required before the Business case can be approved.
- The formal procurement process should not be commenced until Cabinet Resources Committee has approved a revised DRS Business Case.
- The Council’s template and methodology for preparing Business Cases should be revised to ensure it is compliant with best practice.
- Carry out an equality analysis under the Equality Act 2010 as part of a broader cost benefit analysis of the economic, sustainability and environmental impacts of the DRS proposals.
- Gateway Reviews should be implemented in all major procurement processes as a matter of urgency.
- The Council should immediately exclude Cemeteries and Crematoria from the scope of the procurement and return to the 2010 options appraisal findings.
End.
Contact: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Background
Information:
Barnet Easy Council gained notoriety in 2009 when they launched the budget airline model for public services. In 2010 the model was criticised in a report by the external auditors as having failed to draw up a proper business plan. The business case produced by Barnet easyCouncil supports the policy direction promoted by Prime Minister which seeks to break state provision (in this case privatise council services) and offer the Voluntary & Private Sector to run public services.
1. Dexter Whitfield is Director of European Services Strategy Unit (continuing the work of the Centre for Public Services founded in 1973) and is Adjunct Associate Professor, Australian Institute for Social Research, University of Adelaide. He has carried out extensive research and policy analysis of regional/city economies and public sector provision, jobs and employment strategies, impact assessment and evaluation, marketisation and privatisation, modernisation and public management (www.european-services-strategy.org.uk).
He has undertaken commissioned work for a wide range of public sector organisations, local authorities and agencies and worked extensively with trade unions in the UK at branch, regional and national levels, and internationally. He has advised many tenants and community organisations on housing, planning and regeneration policies.
He was one of the founding members of Community Action Magazine (1972-1995) and Public Service Action (1983-1998). He has published many articles in journals and delivered papers and advised public bodies and trade unions in Europe, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Contact details: Mobile +44 (0) 777 6370884, Tel +353 (0) 66 7130225 Email: dexter.whitfield@gmail.com
www.european-services-strategy.org.uk
2. Adrian Waite since 1998 Adrian has been Managing Director of ‘Adrian Waite (Independent Consultancy Services) Limited’. Between 1981 and 1998 he worked in local government to Chief Officer level.
Adrian is a management consultant and trainer with an exceptional range of experience of value to a wide client base. He has a very extensive track record in all areas of public sector work. He has a first class honours degree in Geography. He is a fully qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy; an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Housing; an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Public Sector Management and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership & Management.
As Managing Director of Adrian Waite (Independent Consultancy Services) Ltd, Adrian has provided advice and support to an extensive array of public sector clients in areas such as: Local Authority Finance, Housing Finance, Housing Stock Options Appraisals, Housing Stock Transfers, Housing Inspection, New Build, Self-Financing, Independent Tenants Advice, Housing Association Finance, Economic Development, Business Planning, Management issues, Design and Delivery of Training Programmes and Efficiency, Value for Money and Procurement.
Previously as Strategic Director, Copeland Borough Council, he was a Member of the Strategic Management Team. He led on strategic issues including: Compulsory Competitive Tendering and Best Value, Performance Monitoring and Benchmarking, Investors in People, Communications and Information Technology Strategies, the Private Finance Initiative, Lobbying for additional Standard Spending Assessment, and Single Regeneration Budget. In addition he managed Financial, Legal, Personnel Services, Committee Administration, Contracts and Projects Management, Building services, Leisure Management, and Environmental Services, including Grounds Maintenance and Street Cleansing.
Adrian was accountable for Financial Administration under Section 151 of the Local Government Act as Finance Director, Copeland Borough Council. He managed the Finance Department, including Corporate Finance, Financial Support, Audit, and Revenues Benefits and Exchequer.
‘AWICS’ is an ethical management consultancy, providing support principally to those who provide public services.
We offer ‘Independence, Integrity and Value’.
For more information about ‘AWICS’ please visit our websites at
Contatc details:’AWICS’, Appleby Business Centre, Bridge Street, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria. CA16 6QH. Tel: 017683-52165 or 52347. Mobile: 07502-142658. Fax: 017683-54005