| Date 23 November 2011
BEST VALUE BINS IS NOT SO SIMPLE
There is no place in local government for anyone who knows “the
price of everything and the value of nothing” according
to UNISON as they publish their analysis of the Edinburgh Bin
contract. Best Value includes social, environmental and economic
factors. It’s not just the case that councillors are permitted
to look at these aspects of the privatisation debate – they
are legally obliged to examine all these issues alongside questions
of service quality and price.
Peter Hunter, UNISON Regional Organiser explained: “We
left Thatcherite price wars behind when we ditched competitive
tendering and built a new system to prevent bidders driving down
costs by attacking employees and reducing service quality. If
this was a straight price comparison we wouldn’t need rules,
guidance and a democratic debate, we would just sit at a computer,
type in “Go Compare” or get a quote from the Meerkat.
Simples! Thanks to devolution Scotland has a broader test where
we combine social justice and sustainability with the quest for
efficiency. Against that background the in-house bid is great
news for Edinburgh - £45m savings, but not at any price”
The UNISON report sets out the social, economic and environmental
“costs” of the Enterprise bid and observes that the
in-house bid is preferable on quality and price when viewed from
a Best Value perspective. But UNISON is alert to the challenges
ahead.
Peter Hunter said: “Employees and service users need to
be very clear, a vote for the in-house option is not a soft option
and it certainly isn’t a vote for the status quo. By testing
the council service against the very best the market can offer
the ABM programme is transforming a vast range of local services.
Saving £45m from a cash strapped service is a major challenge
but we’re ready to take that test. We’re up for change
if it’s a change we can believe in.”
Notes for Editors
See UNISON briefing at http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/citynotforsale/EnviroBriefng.pdf
More details at http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/citynotforsale
For further details contact:
Peter Hunter, Regional Organiser Tel: 07740167777
Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser Tel: 07958 122409
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