ESSU provides detailed research and analysis of regional and city economies and public sector provision; critical analysis of marketisation and privatisation; service improvement and public management; infrastructure and public private partnerships; jobs and employment policies; and impact assessment for government, public bodies, trade unions and community organisations.
This section contains information about how to contact us and information about our services.
Our history
ESSU began as Shelter Community Action Team (SCAT) in June 1973, fully funded for five years by Shelter, the national housing campaign. The name changed to Services to Community Action and Trade Unions in 1978 when other organisations also began funding the project. The name changed to the Centre for Public Services in 1992 and then to the European Services Strategy Unit in 2006.
Original SCAT Team based in London, Cardiff, Leeds and Lancashire: Ian Christie, Mike Fleetwood, Keith Mollison, Peta Sissons, Dexter Whitfield
London team in 1980s: Frances Carter, Jane Foot, Steve Nathan, Robin Arthur, Roger Critchley (Nottingham project)
Sheffield team from 1989: Karen Escott, Alex Nunn, David Granville, Anne Rosewarne, Kate Ribery, Dexter Whitfield
40 years of rigorous research, public policy analysis and alternative strategies
On 1st June 2013 the European Services Strategy Unit (ESSU/CPS/SCAT) celebrated 40 years of research, public policy analysis and alternative strategies for trade unions, community organisations and public sector bodies.
The ESSU website has a global reach with 77,000 downloads of pdf and word documents in 2012 alone.
Rethinking Public Services for the 21st century The 25the Anniversary Conference of the Centre for Public Services was held on 21 May 1998 at Sheffield Hallam University.
Keynote Speakers were: Richard Caborn MP (MInister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning), Rodney Bickerstaff (General Secretary, UNISON), Ruth Lister (Professor of Social Policy, Loughborough University), Al Bilik (President, Public Employees Department, AFL-CIO, USA), Judith Hunt (Chief Executive, Local Government Management Board), John Benington (Director, Local Authorities Research Consortium, Warwick University), Larry Elliott (Economic Editor, The Guardian), Hilary Wainwright (Writer and Editor) and Dave Feickert (TUC European Office).
Workshop Themes included Best Value; Poverty and regeneration; Public health and social care; Equalities and social justice; Employee-management cooperation? User and community involvement; PFI partnerships, accountability and democracy; Action zones in health, education and employment.
