Obsession with Private Sector

[squidge]

I Watched Lord MacNally talk today about paying private companies to support offenders on their release to prevent reoffending. Given the millions and millions of pounds that are being poured into companies like A4e who do help for the unemployed, the Atos contracts which are costing a fortune in Appeals, the tendering fiasco for the railways, the security carry on with G4s I wonder at the wisdom of putting more money into private companies when we have a well trained but hugely under resourced probation service. I wondered what the rest of you think

[ducati]

You have to ask why? Not for the sake of it.
I imagine that the public organisations are or have failed in some major way. Lets understand that you don't mess with something that works.

Maybe should be seen as a wakeup for many public services. Perform or else!

[outsidethebox]

It is 100% ideology driven.

Private sector good, public sector bad.

No matter how strong the evidence that the private sector fails us time after time there is profit in it for the boys so hey ho let's line their pockets.

[Slickly]

The problem is not the private or public sectors on their own, but when the two meet.

The people in the public sector generally don't have a clue how to deal with a commercial organisation as they live in a cotton wool world, and the private sector then exploits that to promise everything for very little cost and the expectation they can milk a contract. One is as bad as the other when they meet.

When the private sector deals with the private sector, the transactions are generally much smoother.

When the public sector deals with itself, the transactions are generally very poor as there are no external checks and balances - just political (mis)direction and little or no motivation - just look at the levels of 'illness' related days off in the public sector.

[ducati]

It is 100% ideology driven.

Private sector good, public sector bad.

No matter how strong the evidence that the private sector fails us time after time there is profit in it for the boys so hey ho let's line their pockets.

No evidence that the public sector fails us then?

[outsidethebox]

No evidence that the public sector fails us then?

I know you are more than capable of finding the evidence for yourself, but here's one the bbc prepared earlier regarding failure by the private sector:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20499836

And yes the public sector does fail us, but does not make fat cats even fatter into the bargain! And before you start, no I have no issue with any legitimate business making profit in return for it's innovation and experience, but when it is just cream poured for fat cats to lap up with no risk I have a major issue with it.

[ducati]

MMM 13 months. Some public sector organisations have been at it for 100 years and still not got it right.

[weezer 316]

I know you are more than capable of finding the evidence for yourself, but here's one the bbc prepared earlier regarding failure by the private sector:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20499836

And yes the public sector does fail us, but does not make fat cats even fatter into the bargain! And before you start, no I have no issue with any legitimate business making profit in return for it's innovation and experience, but when it is just cream poured for fat cats to lap up with no risk I have a major issue with it.

So, your entire argument again stuff going private is that it makes fat cats fatter? Is that a fair thing to say about your point of view.

Just as well that never happens in the public sector then eh....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...n-bbc-salaries
37 BBC employees who earn more than the prime minister
£300m in bonuses to whitehall staff at the MOD


To name but 2. Your thoughts please?

[davem]

The defining difference is that public services used to be run by people with poorer wages but better terms and conditions.
Privatisation generally means a drop in wages and conditions, my experience has been in the care sector. The private companies, and come to that National charities talk a good game, but ask the people who get support from them, not knowing who'll come through the door, relationships built over years thrown away as people who get these 'new' jobs come and go, disillusioned that the wages are poor, conditions are rubbish and the organisations are run by a bunch of chancers who wouldn't know good service if it bit them on the bum!
You can believe the Emperors New clothes hype if you like, but years of experience and commitment are chucked on the scrapheap and the people really paying the ultimate price for this 'progress' are the very people least able to cope in society or influence the direction in which it moves.