In February Dexter Whitfield gave lectures at the University of Sheffield (Department of Sociological Studies), Queens University, Belfast (School of Management), given evidence to the Public Accounts Committee, Western Australia State Government, and a presentation to the Canadian Union of Public Employees bi-annual research meeting.

An assessment of a business case update for the customer and support services outsourcing highlights the London Borough of Barnet’s approach – ignore real risks, miscalculate client costs, exaggerate savings, claim non-financial benefits that cannot be substantiated, inadequate equalities assessments and ignore the high failure rate PPP strategic partnership track record. The Council’s refusal to require services to be located in Barnet could lead to mass redundancies immediately after transfer.

A critical assessment of Compass’s Plan B that reveals its shortcomings and need for a more radical and comprehensive socialist alternative, by Dexter Whitfield, Red Pepper Issue 182, Feb/Mar 2012.