Outsourcing

How to be successful with shared services

Attempts to share or outsource public services often end in tears. So how can councils avoid negative headlines and ensure that their projects deliver the projected savings and objectives? Read more...

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Pragmatism, not prejudice, on prisons

The government’s U-turn on prison outsourcing does not mean that ministers have abandoned their commitment to public sector reform or to increased competition. Too many people confuse outsourcing with reform Read more

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Airy-fairy Cleggy

Are we any closer to knowing what the Liberal Democrats and their leader stand for now they have been in power for half a Parliament? Not given the evidence of this week in Brighton Read more

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No outsourcing bonanza in local government

A recent survey of council chief executives suggested that outsourcing was likely to grow significantly. But there are a number of reasons to suggest that this will not be the case Read more

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Outsourcing: not whether, but how

A majority of CFOs recognise that outsourcing is a fact of public sector life. The challenge, in the light of recent experience, is how to do it better Read more

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Emergency exit

Both town halls and Whitehall need to establish effective exit strategies should their suppliers go bust. Service delivery can be outsourced, but responsibility for it cannot Read more

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Outsourcing the Bill

Contracting out police services poses difficult questions and a variety of risks. We need a serious debate if public confidence in policing is to be maintained Read more

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Partner politics

Partnerships’ between councils and private suppliers seem to have reverted to adversarial contractual relationships. Perhaps some collective action by local government is necessary Read more

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The long view of council cuts

Cost reduction is a priority for local government, but it must not lose sight of future goals and challenges. If town halls take care of the long term, then the short term should take care of itself Read more

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Councils after the cuts

Local government is facing a period of significant change driven by budget cuts and rising demand for public services. By 2020, councils are likely to look very different than they do today Read more

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