It's about time ECC looked at ways of providing efficient, value for money, services. Most local government officers are still living in the days of steam and have hardly noticed the passing of the 20th century.
Not sure if the comment above is fomr a current local government worker - in which case it show a depressing lack of familiarity with the advances that are being made as well as some problems in a particular workplace. Of course it may not be made by anyone with a knowledge of local government in the 21st century - in which case it's a shame that yet another stereotype has not been put to bed. At any rate the private sector record in running public service is not any cause for enthusiasm - Essex itself has only just got out of its contract with BT. And National Express anyone?
What is worrying about the plan to outsource is the history and proof that it does not work and costs taxpayers more in long run. Also the services they have come to expect will be cut in quantity and quality.
What needs doing in Local Government is a return to head hunting in its original definition. The taxpaying public should request an external objective body to audit the County Council Corporate Leadership and upper management. They would find the organisation is rife with incompetence and probably corruption.
Once the slate is clean of the upper management leeches, put policies in place to keep the management at sane numbers and fairer compensation.
It is supposed to be an honour and duty to serve your community in public job. Not a cake walk to the bank and good retirement package.
Despite reassurances to the contrary by Lord Hanningfield at one of his staff roadshows the quotes below seem to indicate that as employees of ECC our worst fears are about to be realised. "Although staff pay and conditions will initially be protected, new employees could be hired on more flexible but less favourable terms." taken from Times online http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6964557.ece "Sarah Longworth, IBM’s strategy and change leader for Europe, told Public Finance that the deal ‘will not initially lead to job losses’. She said that the firm is reviewing £800m of services that are currently contracted out. IBM will look to increase the use of the internet and update the IT programmes, which will allow the council to ‘redeploy staff to front line services’. " taken from Public Finance http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2009/12/doubts-remain-over-essexs-ibm-deal/
I had the offer of a job interview with Essex CC, but when I read about the plans, I withdrew.
I have worked in public and private sector and there are good and bad points for both, but people need to always remember that the private sector will always take a cut for the shareholder. Nothing wrong with that of course, but they are there to make money not necessarily to provide a public service.
The whole of EPF is due to be outsourced - what's worrying is the "lead" on it is Building Maintenance so if a company is good at that it'll be put forward as the best option. It ignores the fact EPF also covers Security, Records Management, Hallkeeping and many other roles that don't really have any direct associations with BM. We're being re-assured that the main company will probably have "partner" companies to provide expertise but what if the BM company is fantastic and the partner one awful? How can we vet them fully if it's one huge package like that? We're already working beyond our means with reduced staff and no support or funding so the service any company will provide is just never going to be up to scratch once the private sector cuts have been taken off. Goodbye any kind of service - good or otherwise! I imagine lost client files, violence against staff, run down properties - lets hope I'm just being a pessimist!
Business Support is now undergoing the oh so positive sounding New Ways of Working investigation. Death knell more like. It started with a little activity anaysis spreadsheet sent at the beginning of Easter holiday to be completed within a very tight deadline (still with in the school holiday when many admin staff were probably on leave) and reflecting only 5 working days. The activity anaysis apart from being grossly weighted against any specialist knowledge and skill could not possibly give even a general picture of what many admin people do over a month of work, much less a year. What good is a week evaluation if there are different jobs you do at different times of the year. I am so tired of feeling undervalued. Concepts like "back office" and "admin staff have no specialist knowledge or skill" are very demoralising. My collegaues feel the same. We are considered a liabilty not an asset by the top brass making decisions about our work of which they know nothing nor care. Until I see a reduction of directors and uber managers in this top heavy organisation and pay cuts on those remaining, I have no faith in the ECC and no joy in my work.
Just waiting until they put whatever jobs are left over in a pot and watch us all desperately scrabble to win one. They will all probably be lower grade and fixed term. And when they are done they will sell the new centralised service to the lowest bidder and we can all watch what little benefits and security we had working for public service quickly ebb away.
It's about time ECC looked at ways of providing efficient, value for money, services. Most local government officers are still living in the days of steam and have hardly noticed the passing of the 20th century.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if the comment above is fomr a current local government worker - in which case it show a depressing lack of familiarity with the advances that are being made as well as some problems in a particular workplace.
ReplyDeleteOf course it may not be made by anyone with a knowledge of local government in the 21st century - in which case it's a shame that yet another stereotype has not been put to bed.
At any rate the private sector record in running public service is not any cause for enthusiasm - Essex itself has only just got out of its contract with BT. And National Express anyone?
What is worrying about the plan to outsource is the history and proof that it does not work and costs taxpayers more in long run. Also the services they have come to expect will be cut in quantity and quality.
ReplyDeleteWhat needs doing in Local Government is a return to head hunting in its original definition. The taxpaying public should request an external objective body to audit the County Council Corporate Leadership and upper management. They would find the organisation is rife with incompetence and probably corruption.
Once the slate is clean of the upper management leeches, put policies in place to keep the management at sane numbers and fairer compensation.
It is supposed to be an honour and duty to serve your community in public job. Not a cake walk to the bank and good retirement package.
Despite reassurances to the contrary by Lord Hanningfield at one of his staff roadshows the quotes below seem to indicate that as employees of ECC our worst fears are about to be realised.
ReplyDelete"Although staff pay and conditions will initially be protected, new employees could be hired on more flexible but less favourable terms." taken from Times online http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6964557.ece
"Sarah Longworth, IBM’s strategy and change leader for Europe, told Public Finance that the deal ‘will not initially lead to job losses’. She said that the firm is reviewing £800m of services that are currently contracted out. IBM will look to increase the use of the internet and update the IT programmes, which will allow the council to ‘redeploy staff to front line services’. " taken from Public Finance http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2009/12/doubts-remain-over-essexs-ibm-deal/
I had the offer of a job interview with Essex CC, but when I read about the plans, I withdrew.
ReplyDeleteI have worked in public and private sector and there are good and bad points for both, but people need to always remember that the private sector will always take a cut for the shareholder. Nothing wrong with that of course, but they are there to make money not necessarily to provide a public service.
Good luck!
The whole of EPF is due to be outsourced - what's worrying is the "lead" on it is Building Maintenance so if a company is good at that it'll be put forward as the best option. It ignores the fact EPF also covers Security, Records Management, Hallkeeping and many other roles that don't really have any direct associations with BM. We're being re-assured that the main company will probably have "partner" companies to provide expertise but what if the BM company is fantastic and the partner one awful? How can we vet them fully if it's one huge package like that?
ReplyDeleteWe're already working beyond our means with reduced staff and no support or funding so the service any company will provide is just never going to be up to scratch once the private sector cuts have been taken off. Goodbye any kind of service - good or otherwise! I imagine lost client files, violence against staff, run down properties - lets hope I'm just being a pessimist!
Business Support is now undergoing the oh so positive sounding New Ways of Working investigation. Death knell more like. It started with a little activity anaysis spreadsheet sent at the beginning of Easter holiday to be completed within a very tight deadline (still with in the school holiday when many admin staff were probably on leave) and reflecting only 5 working days.
ReplyDeleteThe activity anaysis apart from being grossly weighted against any specialist knowledge and skill could not possibly give even a general picture of what many admin people do over a month of work, much less a year. What good is a week evaluation if there are different jobs you do at different times of the year.
I am so tired of feeling undervalued. Concepts like "back office" and "admin staff have no specialist knowledge or skill" are very demoralising. My collegaues feel the same. We are considered a liabilty not an asset by the top brass making decisions about our work of which they know nothing nor care.
Until I see a reduction of directors and uber managers in this top heavy organisation and pay cuts on those remaining, I have no faith in the ECC and no joy in my work.
Just waiting until they put whatever jobs are left over in a pot and watch us all desperately scrabble to win one. They will all probably be lower grade and fixed term. And when they are done they will sell the new centralised service to the lowest bidder and we can all watch what little benefits and security we had working for public service quickly ebb away.