http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/ Reports researched and written by ESSU for public bodies, trade unions and community organbisations en Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit 2003-12-05T11:18:07Z European Services Strategy Unit, Duagh, Camp, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. Alex Nunn Books, Corporate Welfare, Public Services, Globalisation, Globalization, Private Finance Initiative, PFI, PPP, Public Private Partnerships, Neo-liberalism, Alternative Modernisation, Welfare State Reform, the Welfare State, outsourcing, transformation, social care, modernisation, privatisation, marketisation. daily 1 2001-04-13T12:00Z http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/privatisation-and-marketisation/barnet-shrinking-the-council/ The London Borough of Barnet launched a Future Shape of the Council project to review the organisation of the Council. The European Services Strategy Unit (ESSU) has been commissioned by Barnet UNISON to provide research and critical analysis for the Branch in the consultation process. A series of Briefings can be downloaded: Assessment of Strategic Hub Proposals, Public Service Principles and Values, Employment Charter, Scope of Contract Reviews, Service Transformation and The 'Shrinking by Outsourcing Models: Implications for Staff. Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit en Dexter Whitfield 2008-09-25T17:23:24Z transformation, public services, local government, privatisation, public service principles, strategic leadership, outsourcing, commissioning, contract council, contract reviews, employment charter, Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/strategic-service-delivery-partnerships/ppp-briefing-strategic-service-delivery-partne/ This 20-page Briefing, commissioned by Northumberland, Durham and Northamptonshire UNISON branches, is a summary for elected members, staff and service users of the current evidence against SSPs and outsourcing of shared services projects It covers finance, savings and investment; accountability and transparency of JVCs; performance; risks levels; employment and job creation; and in-house capability to transform services. Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit en Dexter Whitfield 2008-07-23T11:53:50Z Public Private Partnerships, Strategic Service-delivery Partnerships, SSPs, PPPs, outsourcing, shared services, employment impacts, two-tier workforce, joint venture company, ICT contract failures, procurement, commissioning, Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/strategic-service-delivery-partnerships/ppp-research-critique/ A highly critical assessment of the Audit Commission’s recent report, For Better, For Worse, on Strategic Service-delivery Partnerships. It finds ten fundamental flaws ranging from inadequate methodology, no evidence base, employment issues ignored, no audit of private sector investment and no comparison of an alternative in-house approach. The Commission’s claim that the information on which its findings are based is “commercially confidential” makes a mockery of transparency, performance management, democratic accountability and community engagement. The second section of the report uses quotes from the Audit Commission report to highlight the shortcomings in more detail. Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit en Dexter Whitfield 2008-01-29T21:00:12Z SSP, PPP, Strategic Service-delivery Partnership, public private partnership, outsourcing, procurement, ICT, managed services companies, employment model, value for money, commercial confidentiality, regional business centre, public sector capability, democratic accountability, public sector comparator, contract management, Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/strategic-service-delivery-partnerships/southwest-one-lessons-and-new-agenda-for-publi/ Somerset County Council and Taunton Deane District Council signed a £400m Strategic Service-delivery Partnership contract with IBM in September 2007. The Joint Venture Company, Southwest One, is the first SSP to have a framework agreement to enable other local authorities and public bodies to obtain services bypassing the procurement process. It is also the first to potentially include a Police Authority as a partner (Avon and Somerset Police Authority negotiating to join the partnership) and the first to combine secondment with a 10-year assurance to staff in the founding authorities. This report exposes the unprecedented use of commercial confidentiality in the procurement process, identifies effective ways for UNISON to respond to the new agenda and ensure a good industrial relations framework in Southwest One. It also proposes regional and national public policy changes to improve the accountability and transparency of options appraisal and procurement processes. Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit en Dexter Whitfield 2008-01-25T09:01:33Z IBM, procurement, commissioning, democratic accountability, shared services, PPP, SSP, marketisation, public interest, freedom of information, commercial confidentiality, secondment of staff, staff secondment, framework agreement, IBM, Mouchel Parkman, HBS, contract culture, contract governance, contract management, community engagement, impact assessment, Dexter Whitfield, scrutiny failure, democratic defiicit, joint venture company, options appraisal, Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/strategic-service-delivery-partnerships/somerset-isis-or-crisis-an-assessment-of-the-p/ The report is critical of: the unprecedented degree of secrecy in a public sector project; the continual overuse of commercial confidentiality by the ISiS project team; the lack of public consultation and public debate; the lack of rigorous scrutiny of the project, to ensure the protection of public services and allay public concerns. The report raises major questions about the way the ISiS project has been managed; the absence of any form of public impact assessment of the project; and the adequacy of the proposed retained client structure and governance arrangements. It was commissioned by Somerset County and Taunton Deane DC UNISON branches. Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit en Dexter Whitfield 2007-08-23T13:10:19Z outsourcing, IBM, strategic partnership, PPP, strategic service-delivery partnership, ICT and related services. Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/regional-and-city-economies/appraisal-of-unitary-options-in-bedfordshire/ This report assesses the two unitary options for Bedfordshire – a unitary county and two unitary councils consisting of Bedford and Central Bedfordshire (combining Mid and South Bedfordshire District Councils). It is critical of all of the proposals and finds serious flaws in the Government’s option appraisal process, particularly the absence of an enhanced two-tier developmental option and the narrow assessment criteria. Commissioned by 4 UNISON branches in Bedfordshire and submitted to DCLG. Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit en Dexter Whitfield 2007-06-29T10:33:02Z unitary government, reorganisation, future of local government, Bedfordshire, options appraisal, options criteria, Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/strategic-service-delivery-partnerships/oldham-strategic-service-delivery-partnership/ Executive Summary of a detailed study into Oldham MBC's planned Strategic Service Delivery Partnerships with HBS and Mouchel Parkman. The key findings include: The job creation figures are highly questionable, many are not new jobs because they are part of planned major infrastructure projects in Oldham and Mouchel Parkman’s plan is to create a monopoly supply of professional and technical services. Despite the rhetoric, the contribution of the SSDP to community cohesion is minimal. The regeneration effect of a Business Centre is overstated. The SSDP will make a very limited contribution to Oldham’s economy. The SSDP is designed to meet the needs of the market rather than the strategic social and economic needs of Oldham – a point admitted by the Council’s advisers. (January 2007) Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit en Dexter Whitfield 2007-06-03T10:19:09Z strategic partnership, outsourcing, Oldham, employment, community cohesion, SSP, SSDP, privatisation, Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/health-and-social-care/does-excelcare-really/ An investigation into the transfer of 10 residential care homes by Essex County Council to Excelcare Holdings PLC. Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit en Dexter Whitfield 2007-05-11T15:56:52Z care homes, residential care, Excelcare, Essex County Council, privatisation, TUPE, quality of care, tax haven Copyright © 1998-2008 European Services Strategy Unit