FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CAPITA WINS – MASSIVE JOB LOSSES FOR BARNET COUNCIL STAFF

Today approximately 520 Barnet Council staff have been told in a series of briefings that Capita is to be their new employer.

From figures released in the presentations today approximately 57% of staff will face redundancy as local jobs are exported to Belfast, Blackburn, Bromley, Carlisle, Darwen, Sheffield, Banstead, Swindon, Southampton.

For the last four years UNISON has warned of the danger of jobs being exported out of Barnet. Leading Councillors and senior officers have either played down this risk or discounted it as irrelevant.

John Burgess, Branch Secretary said: “It is a dark, dark day in the history of Barnet Council. Staff and residents will remember this date as the day the council carried on marching over the cliff ignoring the stark warnings of residents and other key stakeholders. The implications for our members are awful. I thought the morale of the workforce had already hit rock bottom, this news I believe will drag it down deeper and it will have an impact on other council staff. I also fear for the impact on future quality of services to Barnet residents. I really hope Councillors will think again about the implications of what they are proposing and the risks of ignoring a growing dissenting community voice emerging from a resilient committed community campaign. But, it isn’t over yet, there is an alternative way to delivering public services and our campaign is still very alive and focused. Watch this space”

***** Ends *****

Notes to Editors.

Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or 0208 359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

Background

Barnet Council is implementing a policy known as the One Barnet Programme, sometimes referred to as the ‘Commissioning Council’. This mass privatisation policy is designed for the Council to divest itself of responsibility to deliver services to its residents.

The first One Barnet project known as New Support Customer Services Organisation (NSCSO) will be for back office services such a Finance, Revenues & Benefits, Estates, IT, HR & Payroll etc, it is estimated to be worth up to £750 million.

It involves approximately 700 council workers. There is a high probability that the winning bidder will not deliver these services from Barnet so there is a high risk of significant redundancies at the moment of transfer.

This contract will be awarded to either Capita or BT at the Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee on Thursday 6 December 2012.

The second One Barnet project is known as Development & Regulatory Services (DRS) which includes the following services:

Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria.

This contract, worth up to £275 million pounds, will be awarded to Capita Symonds or EC Harris at the Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee on 8 January 2013.

This involves approximately 300 council workers

Both contracts are for ten years with an option to extend for a further five years.

UNISON’s position

Over the past four years UNISON has published over 40 detailed reports on the Future Shape/EasyCouncil/One Barnet mass privatisation programme.

Our message has remained clear.

 Provide a level playing field and follow good practice and include a fully funded in house service improvement model to run alongside the procurement process.

 Our proposal – In house model

There are a number of examples of where Councils have followed this approach to good effect. Most recently Edinburgh City Council considered the potential for using private contractors to deliver a wide range of its services. It embarked on separate procurement processes for 3 blocks of services utilising the Competitive Dialogue process in an attempt to obtain the best offers available from the market. At the same time in-house teams were asked to work on service improvement plans or Public Sector Comparators, so that when it came to the award of contract, the Council could be sure that the services it was purchasing would genuinely optimise its use of scarce resources. In the end the Public Sector Comparators proved to be more attractive than any of the external offers and no contracts were awarded.

For a fuller explanation click here

Barnet UNISON has produced a list entitled “100 PLUS reasons why One Barnet is high risk and bad for residents and services” which you can view here

Barnet UNISON Press Release: 30 October 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: BARNET COMMISSIONING COUNCIL VOTE FOR IN-HOUSE SERVICES

On Wednesday 7 November 2012 Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee is considering a recommendation to support the One Barnet in-house Street Scene Project. The One Barnet Street Scene Project includes the following services:

·         Refuse, organic waste and recycling collections

·         Waste strategy

·         Street cleansing

·         Greenspaces

·         Highways operational team

Earlier this month the Barnet Press reported that “Brent Council executive committee passed proposals to “outsource its “public realm” services – waste collection, street cleaning and ground maintenance – in tandem with Barnet Council as part of its One Council programme.”

 

This decision to support the in-house services signals a clear change of direction for Barnet Council which is currently implementing a policy known as the One Barnet Programme, sometimes referred to as the ‘Commissioning Council’.

John Burgess UNISON Branch Secretary said: “This is fantastic news for residents & 700 council workers delivering these services. I want to take the opportunity to applaud the Council for at last recognising the potential of in-house services to be able to compete with the private sector. We are now calling for the Council to halt the current outsourcing plans for the two contracts (worth in excess of a Billion Pounds public money). We are asking for the Council to work with staff, unions and the community to develop efficient, innovative services for Barnet residents and ensure savings go back into the pockets of the council tax payers.”

 

***** Ends *****

Notes to Editors.

Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

Background

Barnet Council is implementing a policy known as the One Barnet Programme, sometimes referred to as the ‘Commissioning Council’. This mass privatisation policy is designed for the Council to divest itself of responsibility to deliver services to its residents.

The first One Barnet project known as New Support Customer Services Organisation (NSCSO) will be for back office services such a Finance, Revenues & Benefits, Estates, IT, HR & Payroll etc, it is estimated to be worth up to £750 million.

It involves approximately 700 council workers. There is a high probability that the winning bidder will not deliver these services from Barnet so there is a high risk of significant redundancies at the moment of transfer.

This contract will be awarded to either Capita or BT at the Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee on Thursday 6 December 2012.

The second One Barnet project is known as Development & Regulatory Services (DRS) which includes the following services:

Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria.

This contract, worth up to £275 million pounds, will be awarded to Capita Symonds or EC Harris at the Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee on 8 January 2013.

This involves approximately 300 council workers

Both contracts are for ten years with an option to extend for a further five years.

UNISON’s position

Over the past four years UNISON has published over 40 detailed reports on the Future Shape/EasyCouncil/One Barnet mass privatisation programme.

Our message has remained clear.

 

Provide a level playing field and follow good practice and include a fully funded in house service improvement model to run alongside the procurement process.

 

Our proposal – In house model

There are a number of examples of where Councils have followed this approach to good effect. Most recently Edinburgh City Council considered the potential for using private contractors to deliver a wide range of its services. It embarked on separate procurement processes for 3 blocks of services utilising the Competitive Dialogue process in an attempt to obtain the best offers available from the market. At the same time in-house teams were asked to work on service improvement plans or Public Sector Comparators, so that when it came to the award of contract, the Council could be sure that the services it was purchasing would genuinely optimise its use of scarce resources. In the end the Public Sector Comparators proved to be more attractive than any of the external offers and no contracts were awarded.

For a fuller explanation click here

Our UNISON branch has produced a list entitled “100 PLUS reasons why One Barnet is high risk and bad for residents and services” which you can view here

 

 

Dear Councillors

Please find enclosed briefing number 9 entitled ‘Regulatory Services & Risk’.  (to view click here)

The One Barnet Development & Regulatory Services Project has bundled together the following services

Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria,

Many of these services are Statutory Services that are critical to the well-being of Barnet and its residents.

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

“What I have heard from the Leader, is that he will take a substantial amount of convincing before we get anywhere near a joint venture, so if I was a gambling man, which I am not, I think you could probably put the Icelandic Bank deposits….on there won’t be a joint venture if I was a gambling man, so , quite , quite why councillor Schneiderman you need to be excited about something which is highly unlikely to happen I am not sure.”

Waych here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0RlRku_wvI

(Councillor Brian Coleman, Chair of Budget Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Wednesday 19 September 2012).

Those in attendance at this meeting were the Leader, Deputy Leader and the Interim Director of Planning, Environment and Regeneration. They had ample opportunity to correct this very powerful statement, but chose to say nothing.

The very next day staff working in were informed that both bidders Capita Symonds & EC Harris have been told that a joint venture is the councils preferred option. The winning bidder will therefore submit a joint venture proposal in order to win the £275million pound ten year contract to run Barnet Councils Regulatory Services

The One Barnet Project Development & Regulatory Services (DRS) is looking to privatise the following Council services:

Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria.

Tuesday 11 September at 7 pm there will be another attempt to have a meaningful discussion about the One Barnet mass outsourcing programme.

See Press release by Barnet Labour Party

News from Labour

London Borough of Barnet Labour Group

We’re on your side

For immediate release 

31 August 2012

Barnet Labour Opposition Debate: We need a Better Barnet, not ‘One Barnet’

Barnet’s Labour Group of Councillors has called a Full Council debate on developing a different approach to the Council’s unpopular ‘One Barnet’ service transformation programme.

Key themes of the Opposition Policy Item include :

·         Restoring public faith in the democratic process

–          There has been no consultation of local people on ‘One Barnet’ despite the risks involved, and the fact that it is a fundamental change in the way local services are delivered.  Labour would have a proper community engagement plan in place.

–          There is confusion over whether it is officers taking decisions or members – this needs to stop, and there needs to be proper member oversight and monitoring of the programme through a dedicated scrutiny committee.  Labour would re-instate the dedicated One Barnet Scrutiny Committee.

·         Keeping jobs local and supporting the local economy

–          ‘One Barnet’ plans to allow local jobs to be re-located out of the Borough, and so far the Conservative administration has refused to require contractors to keep jobs and services in Barnet.  Labour believes this should be a requirement.

–          Local Traders have felt left out of discussions around skills, enterprise zones and apprenticeships.  Labour would work in partnership with local traders and businesses when developing their local economic development plan.

 

·         Assessing and minimising service transformation risk properly

–          Council procurement practices are still poor resulting in contract overspends and financial risk – e.g. the cost of the contract for the ‘One Barnet’ implementation partner, Agylisis, has already exceeded by £1.24 million the specified upper limit of the contract, and we are only in year two of the three year contract. Labour believes the external auditor should investigate LB Barnet’s procurement practices before any further large contracts are let – including the two ‘One Barnet’ contracts for Development & Regulatory Services, and Support/Customer Services that are due to be signed by the end of this year.

–          No Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) for residents have been done for either of the two ‘One Barnet’ contracts – both include services that have a huge impact on local residents, e.g. planning, licensing, environmental health, Revenues and Benefits and Customer Services.  Labour believes EIAs must be completed before the contracts are signed.

–          Risk assessments for the ‘One Barnet’ outsourcings have not been published – the public have the right to know that proper risk assessments have been done where £1 billion of services are being outsourced to a private contractor.  Labour wants these published as a matter of urgency.

 

·         The ‘Commissioning Model’ of One Barnet should be abandoned

–          The commissioning and monitoring of council services should not be outsourced to a private company.  Labour would stop this model.

–          The council should stop wasting millions of pounds on expensive consultants, and use a little of it to undertake proper in-house services reviews, comparing the potential for in-house improvement against outsourced solutions to ensure value for money is achieved. Labour would do this.

–          The council should not hand over its valuable income streams or savings to the private sector for their profit.  This has already been done with re-cycling and parking – 50% of the income from the sale of re-cyclables goes to Barnet’s re-cycling contractor, and 50% of the savings made under the parking contract go to NSL – the new parking contractor. Labour believes income from council services should be re-invested in local services, and would use the new General Power of Competence to increase trading opportunities to do this.

–          ‘One Barnet’ is supposed to be a ‘one public sector approach’ – this has not emerged. Labour would investigate sharing more services with other public sector partners and local authorities, and would look at providing more services through mutuals, co-operatives and co-production

 Labour’s motion on creating a Better Barnet will be debated at the 11 September Full Council meeting.

 

Leader of the Barnet Labour Group, Cllr Alison Moore said: “One Barnet has been a damaging process and is fraught with risk.  We need to restore public faith in the way the council does business – ours would be a very different approach, one that engages local people, traders and businesses.  We are here to serve them, not ourselves – I think the current Conservative administration has lost touch with that.”

 

Barnet UNISON Press release: 07 February 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

On Thursday 9 February hundreds of *UNISON members working for Barnet Council will be taking strike action.

A decision has been made that a team of UNISON strikers will leave the pickets lines to donate their labour to the ‘Larches Community’ a local Charity in Edgware which provides services for adults with Learning Difficulties. Our members are committed public servants and have this to say

“We have withdrawn our labour from the Council but we have not withdrawn our commitment to our community which is why a team of UNISON strikers is heading off to donate their labour to help out a local charity providing services for adults with learning difficulties in Barnet!”

What is happening in Barnet is what is likely to happen across NHS services as Private Sector companies fight to win lucrative guaranteed contracts, all funded by the tax payer.

For many of our members this will be the fourth day of action in response to the One Barnet Project which seeks to transfer the majority of the staff out of the Council. The total cost of these projects will look to exceed £2Billion which is why the Big Private Sector Fat Cats are all lined up to try and win the contracts!

John Burgess Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary said

“Doing nothing is not an option for our members. I am proud of our members for taking what is always a difficult decision to go on strike. Furthermore their decision to want to go an help out a local charity demonstrates their commitment to their community. I am asking the Leader of the Council to donate all strike pay deductions to be donated to the Mayors Charities.

Barnet UNISON is asking for the One Barnet programme to be put on hold.

 

 

* Council services taking action will be in the following Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria; Parking Services, Revs & Bens, Social Care Direct

 

End.

 

Contact: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

 

Useful Links

 

1. UNISON strikers donate their Labor to local charity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GQN8q0nQms

 

2. List of Private Sector contractors involving in the bidding process

 

• Capita Symonds
• EC Harris and FM Conway
• SERCO,
• Capita,
• BT,
• HCL Axon
• NSL

 

 

3. UNISON response to transfer of Housing workers out of the Council

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/749

 

4. UNISON response to transfer of social care staff out of the council

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/750

 

5. UNISON response to transfer of Parking staff to NSL

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/2011.12.13.UNISONPARKINGresponsetoCRC.pdf

 

 

6 September 2011

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

On Tuesday 13 September up to 400 UNISON members working across the following services will be taking strike action

 

Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria; Parking Services, Revs & Bens,

 

The Trades Dispute concerns the identity of the employer. Barnet Council is promoting the One Barnet programme which is just a ‘remix version’ of the ‘contracting out’ ideology from the 1980’s. There are already several contracts out for consultation with the private sector. The value of the contracts (fast approaching almost £2 billion) has already attracted the big Private sector FAT CATS.

 

Up to 70% of the council workforce could be transferred to the Private sector in little more than 16 months time.

 

Dave Prentis general secretary message to Barnet UNISON.

“To the 400 UNISON members taking strike action: UNISON members across the country are standing shoulder to shoulder with you as you challenge this council – a council that refuses to listen to its workforce, a council that refuses to listen to logic or sense, a council now embarking on a reckless gamble”

 

“Last week our union commissioned a report on the impact of outsourcing on the council’s pension scheme. The report gave a damning assessment of the serious financial risks to the pension scheme as a direct result of One Barnet programme.

 

Heather Wakefield UNISON’s head of local government,

‘The widescale privatisation at the heart of One Barnet should be placed under the severest scrutiny by Government, Barnet’s scrutiny committee and the people of Barnet themselves. The council’s failure to ensure procurement procedures and the obvious detrimental impact on the Local Government Pension Scheme of privatisation of local services are just two good reasons for challenging the path that Barnet has chosen. The third is the waste of public money involved in the procurement process through payments to consultants, procurement costs and payments to shareholders – money which should be invested in local people and local services.’

 

John Burgess Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary said

“The Council need to recognise that ‘political dogma’ also known as One Barnet programme cannot be allowed to continue to expose residents, services and staff to a high risk strategy and expect them to pick up the bill.

What we mean by ‘independence’

A recent article “Greensquare Field – Planning to Outsource Planning posted on the local Barnet Eye Blog encapsulates conflict of interest’s issues:

“At the moment Barnet Council is in the middle of tendering to outsource a number of services, one of which is the planning service. In the running are a number of companies: Capita Symonds, Atkins, Jacobs and E C Harrison. The planning consultants who represent Higgins Homes plc, and have done through 2 planning applications, 2 planning appeals, a village green application and the draft LDF, work for Capita Symonds. If Capita win the tender, they will decide any future planning applications.”

 

As council services for Barnet as a place to live and work, our decisions must be 100% independent and free from any ‘conflict of interest’.

 

Barnet Alliance have recently published a newspaper their front page spells out the dangers of the One Barnet here

Barnet UNISON is asking for the One Barnet programme to be put on hold.

End.

Contact: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

 

Useful Links

 

1. Outsourcing Planning – local blog

http://barneteye.blogspot.com/2011/09/guest-blog-greensquare-field-planning.html

 

2. The potential impact of reduced active membership of the London borough of Barnet Pension Fund,’ (First Actuarial LLP)

To read summary click on link below

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/UNISON%20Barnett%20Council.31%20August%202011.SUMMARY.pdf

 

To read full report click on link below

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/UNISON%20Barnet%20Council%2031%20August%202011FINAL.pdf

 

3. Barnet Alliance newspaper ‘Our Barnet’

http://barnetalliance.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/baps_2_aug_2011-page-011.pdf

http://barnetalliance.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/baps_2_aug_2011_centre2.pdf

http://barnetalliance.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/baps_2_aug_2011-page-041.pdf

 

4. Life not so easy for council facing £1.5m outsource bill

http://www.localgov.co.uk/index.cfm?method=news.detail&id=100493

 

5. The ‘shrinking by outsourcing’ models – implications for staff

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Barnet_Briefing%20No%206.pdf

6. Directors Cut for Barnet Independence Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3826zTEyhoI

                

7. Obama direct message to striking UNISON members

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H4csb-Sgz4&feature=related

 

13 September

Barnet Independence Day

View here 

Barnet UNISON members working in the following areas:

Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Registration (Births, Deaths & Marriages) Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria;, Parking Services, Revs & Bens,

have informed the branch through a number of workplaces meetings that they wish to escalate the action. They do not believe the Council is taking the Trades Dispute seriously.

Members have therefore requested that a programme of strike action be agreed to take place over the next few months.

They have asked that the first wave of action to take place on Tuesday 13 September which will be now known as ‘Barnet Independence Day’

Further details of the action will be discussed with members in due course.

* If the Council provides a meaningful proposal to the Trades Dispute we will consider postponing the action whilst we consult with our members.

Keep Public Services Public

Barnet UNISON have commissioned two reports to critque the easyCouncil business case for 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.

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. 

His report can be read here

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.

His report can be read here

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.

I

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.

To view reports click here and here

We are recommending the following:

 

1. The Council should recognise that significant additional work is required before the Business case can be approved.
2. The formal procurement process should not be commenced until Cabinet Resources Committee has approved a revised DRS Business Case.
3. The Council’s template and methodology for preparing Business Cases should be revised to ensure it is compliant with best practice.
4. 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.
5. Gateway Reviews should be implemented in all major procurement processes as a matter of urgency.
6. 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

http://www.awics.co.uk/

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