Forum Topic

Privatisation of libraries and leisure

Savings what savings!! This all looks like another disaster. Hounslow are now getting a worse deal than the one that the previous provider the CIP trust provided. A big company like Laing will not provide best value except for themselves.

Peter Chadburn ● 4701d6 Comments

But the LBH contracted services are dreadful. Parks and recreation being probably the worst .In house it has to be planning or the policies it's anyones guess, but take a tour of Heston and Hounslow like I did recently and the state of it is jaw dropping.Foe me the key problem is the diversity is simply to great for one authority to conduct a one size fits all administration.Ealing is similar but dare I say they are better in some respects.The weak link has been Cllr. Mahfouz's list of failures and the attempt to be more like Hounslow in being economical with the truth on too many issues and policies.Both parties would do well to avoid the methods of Hounslow's Labour and Conservative groups.The trouble with privatisation is the kind of companies that get invited to tender and how they make a profit from the service they may run.They use lawyers and management consultancies to almost brainwash officers and councillors in to a deal which far too often has fallen way short of what we the taxpayers and residents should expect.It's the same everywhere because the legislation and policies are flawed from page one.As far as I'm concerned if it works well enough and is not costing a fortune (not in the usual manipulated accountants way) then leave it be.

Michael Brandt ● 4696d

Normally I would be wholly in favour of removing the incompetent hands of the council from pretty well everything but the proof of what will likely happen is not far away in Hounslow where the privatised parks maintenance company has effectively kyboshed the Brentford Festival in Boston Manor Park.

Tony Colliver ● 4696d

Privatise the planning dept and before you know it developers will be running it.Clean up and reinforce the planning department yes.Same for the Allotments, privatise it an before you know it it will be far too expensive to grow so much as a cabbage and it will not work.It's an amenitiy and it works just like the libraries do. Not perfect but not bad either.It can be run in house well it just needs very good management which sadly politicians and career officers seem to be a bit retarded at.

Michael Brandt ● 4697d

Why privatize things that are working? It is possible to borrow books, the libraries are open, and the swimming pools work.Why not privatize thngs that are not actually working.Some thoughts come to mind:Privatize the administration and letting of allotments.Privatize the Ealing planning department.Remove Enterprise of its contract for refuse collection.

Alex Witraz ● 4697d

Lazy and incompetent managements think that they can send some headless idiot with a clipboard to teach experienced professionals how to do their jobs and cut costs. It does not work.

Chris Bell ● 4701d

CiP were all but useless and the current contract holders are just as rubbish.They should look at smaller companies that can manages a decent job and be local run and employed bot all this iso standard partnership guff. All a load of bull that money acquires to put up a good job at pulling the wool over council officer and councillors eyes.

Michael Brandt ● 4701d