'Public' services

[caramel_betty]

As eny fule kno, the Big Society hasn't solely been about getting volunteers to take over from paid professionals. Part of it - but, hitherto, very much the ginger stepchild kept in a cellar - is the way in which private firms and worker cooperatives can take over public services in some fashion

Comments

[caramel_betty]

That is - of course - a sensible concern. On balance, I'd say the private sector will get more out of these arrangements, though.

However, from the point of view of 'the private sector screws up', I'm more worried about it from the impact on the public sector side. For example, a shockingly awful business plan is put forward - but does a middle-ranking career civil servant who's just switched from the Department of Administrative Affairs to the Department for Social Affairs and Citizenship have the experience to spot it and reject it? Do they have the nouse to plumb in sensible backup arrangements - be it mandating some sort of insurance, or whatever else? Do they have the capabilities to set up structures such that those facilities can be brought in house, or transferred quickly, in the event of failure? Obviously, any company collapsing is a tragedy for the employees and other people financially involved (say, my pension is invested in it) - but some private companies will pretty much inevitably fail.