Archive of key Centre for Public Services and SCAT reports

Important documents on a range of public policy issues produced between 1973 and late 1990s.

This part of the ESSU site hosts a archive of key Centre for Public Services (1992-2005) and Services to Community Action & Trade Unions (SCAT: 1973-1992) reports.

Social & Economic Audit, Royal Hospital Trust, Belfast, September 1993: A social and economic audit of plans to run-down the Royal Hospital in West Belfast in 1993 by transferring several specialities to the City Hospital. Examines the job losses and equality impacts, the potential impact on West Belfast and the public costs of unemployment. Calculation of the jobs multiplier and the public cost of unemployment are the Appendices. UNISON campaign was successful (28 pages).
2012-07-23 20:08:19
Social & Economic Audit, Down Lisburn Trust, Northern Ireland, UNISON, 1995: An analysis of the costs of tendering services at the Down Lisburn NHS Trust affecting nearly 500 staff. It forecasts the savings claimed by the Trust will be significantly reduced or eliminated by client costs. Many of the staff live in three wards that are amongst the most deprived wards in Northern Ireland.
2012-08-18 20:39:29
Privatisation Audit: Public Cost of Private Contractors, 1985: Produced for Sheffield City Council and details the potential impact of outsourcing on local authority jobs in the city, the effect on the local economy and accelerate changes in the labour market. Quantifies public sector costs and national implications (64 pages).
1985-02-24 08:51:08
Externalisation by Privatisation, 1997: Details the scale of privatisation by the sale of Direct Service Organisations, management buyouts, leisure trusts and large-scale voluntary transfer of council housing. Assesses the impact on jobs and employment policies, the effect on local authorities and local economies and the growth of an externalisation market, for UNISON (44 pages).
1998-02-24 08:24:49
Externalisation by Privatisation: Trade Union Strategy, 1998: Makes the case against externalisation, a detailed discussion on trade union strategies and a checklist of questions to challenge local authorities, consultants and contractors, for UNISON (20 pages).
1998-02-24 08:35:33
Public Service Analysis, Issue 1, Spring 1997: Articles on The Post Office: A privatisation too far; school meals – children’s health; research on the scale of externalisation of council services; private finance – the future for public services and government outsourcing study ignores equalities.
2012-08-18 20:35:49
Their Business Your Public Service: Lincolnshire’s Enabling Experience, East Midlands UNISON, researched by Centre for Public Services, April 1993: Lincolnshire County Council was one of the first local authorities in Britain to adopt the enabling model of local government in the early 1990’s. The report examines the enabling model, Lincolnshire’s approach to enabling through business units and an internal market, the performance of business units, business planning, and assesses the impact on service users and staff. Summarises similar approaches in other local authorities (44 pages).
2012-07-25 15:50:03
The Bradford Experiment: Counting the Cost, Bradford NALGO, researched by Services to Community Action & Trade Unions, March 1990.: A hard-hitting report by Bradford NALGO which examines the sweeping changes from the time the Conservatives narrowly gained control of Bradford Council in October 1988, until the setting of the Poll Tax in March 1990. It outlines the local Tory strategy and national significance of The Bradford Experiment; describes the scale and impact of cuts and restructuring; provides a critical analysis of Bradford Council’s commercialisation strategy; looks in detail at what the Bradford Experiment has meant for users of services; examines the impact of these changes on the local economy; and draws out lessons to be learnt (36 pages).
2012-07-24 16:32:17
Public Service Action: An Anti-Privatisation Newsletter for the Labour Movement: Fifty-six issues were produced between 1983-1997 contained news, analysis and information focusing on key issues and developments in the public and recently privatised sectors. Each 16-page issue reported on contract failures, campaigns and industrial action, company information, research, policy and legislative changes with a print run of 10,000 copies. Sample of five issues:
2012-07-25 16:25:19
Taken to the Cleaners: The Lincolnshire Experience, East Midlands NUPE and NALGO, researched by Services to Community Action & Trade Unions, November 1988: An investigation of the impact of outsourcing school cleaning by Lincolnshire County Council to ISS, the Danish-based multinational cleaning company. The County Council claimed savings of £351,000 but cleaning staff were literally robbed of £450,000 through wage cuts. Visits to schools around the County revealed systemic problems of incomplete and poor quality, high staff turnover and staff shortages, lack of training and inadequate monitoring. Includes an analysis of school cleaning in other local authorities, and commentary on the appraisal, evaluation and monitoring of contracts. Concludes with 16 key lessons (40 pages).
2012-07-24 19:17:00
New Initiatives to Improve & Expand Jobs and Services in Darlington, Shop Stewards Committee and Services to Community Action & Trade Unions, November 1986: Results of a Improving Jobs and Services Survey of the Employment and Public Services Department, Darlington Borough Council, that examined job control and satisfaction, ideas for improving services and links between workers and service users, and health and safety issues. The Shop Stewards Committee were involved in the design of the survey and held a series of meetings to discuss the results, recommendations and prepare the report (28 pages).
2012-07-24 19:22:05
Cashing in on Care, National Union of Public Employees and Services to Community Action & Trade Unions, 1984: Exposes the effects of attempts to reduce and remould key parts of the welfare state and a Victorian version of ‘community care’. It identifies unmet needs, the impact of spending cuts, and the increasing use of volunteers. The growth of the private homes business is described as ‘tender loving neglect’ and shows the increasing use of private contractors. The report charts the impact on workers in social services and how the crisis in care and the welfare state is deepening. It concludes with alternative policies and action strategies (36 pages).
2012-07-24 16:38:12
Campaigning for Care in Social Services, 1985: Documents from a comprehensive NUPE action pack. Developing Alternative Demands to Improve Services includes developing plans and explains why cooperatives are not the answer (4 pages). Trade Unionists Guide to Value for Money explains effectiveness, efficiency, economy and value for money, the use of management consultants and the myth of independence (8 pages). Developing Joint Action and User Committees includes building alliances and examples of joint action (4 pages).
1985-02-25 09:03:12
We are NOT for Sale – Part 2, 1989: A detailed guide in response to the Housing Act 1988, which introduced far reaching changes to rented housing, including the transfer of council housing to ‘independent’ and private landlords. Examines the role of local authorities, housing action trusts, housing associations, cooperatives and financial institutions (48 pages).
1998-02-24 09:24:40
We Are NOT for Sale – Part 1, 1985: Sets out a ten-point action plan to fight estate sales ranging from planning an effective campaign to developing alternatives, building alliances and strengthening tenants’ organisations. Concludes with a 118-question checklist divided into sections about challenging local authorities, developers, the government and housing associations (32 pages).
1985-02-24 09:31:26
High and Dry: A unique action guide based on successful campaigns by tenants against damp and defects, 1984: Four tenants associations from Hull, Sheffield, Nottingham and Leeds formed an alliance, the Yorkshire Development Tenants Action Group that succeeded in getting 1,900 damp and defective flats demolished. This report describes how it was done, the mistakes and the lessons learnt (48 pages).
1984-02-25 08:27:33
The Great Sales Robbery: the sale of Council Housing, 1976 and 1980 Editions: Details asset stripping of the public sector, explains why council housing is important, who's demanding the sale of council housing, why sales are disastrous, alternatives to sales and action strategies. Published in 1980 and supported by 50 national, regional and city-wide tenants organisations, trade unions and other organisations, this is an expanded version of the first edition published in 1976, which sold 8,000 copies. Correctly predicted the development of sales and the housing and financial consequences (28 pages).
2012-07-23 19:29:23
Up Against a Brickwall: The dead-end in housing policy, National Union of Public Employees and Services to Community Action & Trade Unions, February, 1978: Since the election of the Labour Government in February 1974, the struggle to achieve decent housing for all sections of the community has suffered a number of major setbacks. First, by October 1977 the Government had cut an estimated £1,250m from the housing programme. Second, under the guise of ‘rationalisation’, the Government has introduced tough measures to curb the degree of autonomy of local councils over the size and scope of their housing programmes. Third, there have been major moves to expand the private housing market at the expense of council housing. This pamphlet is designed to illustrate the housing crisis facing working people and describes the impact of the crisis on working class areas. It is intended to be a major contribution to the debate now taking place throughout Britain on the Government’s housing green paper (60 pages).
2012-07-24 16:24:16
Demolishing the Myths: Housing and Jobs in South Tyneside, 1980: Commissioned by South Shields Trades Council, this report examines the relationship between housing policy and industrial policies and employment in an area of industrial decline and change. It is a critical analysis of attempting to expand the private housing market through the sale of council housing and land to attract industrial investment (48 pages).
1980-02-24 09:19:24
Counting the Cost, 1995: Commissioned by East Midlands UNISON, it analysis the gender impact and public costs of Compulsory Competitive Tendering in the region, the impact on women workers and the regional economy (32 pages).
1995-02-24 09:13:08
CCT in the Record, Local government Information Unit, 1994: A review of the experience of Compulsory Competitive Tendering under the Local Government Act 1988. Includes sections on the effects on services and jobs, claimed savings and the consequences of the baling model of local government.
2013-07-23 09:32:48
Housing Management Compulsory Competitive Tendering in London, 1996: Examines the pattern of bidding by private contractors and housing associations and the award of contracts to manage council housing in London Boroughs. Assesses pricing information and average tender unit costs. Commissioned by Greater London UNISON (18 pages).
1996-02-25 08:34:01
Homes: New Crisis Looms, 1981: An overview of a looming housing crisis – house building back to the 1920s, rocketing rents, increased subsidies for private housing, improvement slows, repairs backlogs rise. Makes the case why housing is important for the labour movement and provides examples of local organising and action (4 pages). London’s Homes – The Fight Is On, 1981 - Proposes radical alternatives in response to London’s housing crisis as conditions worsen, jobs are lost, rents rise and council housing is sold. Suggests various ways for increased tenant and trade union cooperation. For NUPE London regions (4 pages).
1981-02-25 08:39:40
SCAT Privatisation Briefings on Improving Jobs and Services, 1985: Alternative Demands explains why alternative demands are needed, what should be covered, developing joint worker/user plans and examples of alternative public sector plans (6 pages). Contractors: Job Losses & Wage Cuts details job losses from competitive tendering, wage cuts and other terms and conditions (4 pages). Trade Union Action Against Contractors provides advice on action to take at different stages of the tendering process and cost comparisons (8 pages).
1985-02-25 08:46:42
Project to Defend and Improve Local Authority Services and Jobs, Sheffield City Council, 1985/86: We’re Coming Out from under the carpet: Job Satisfaction Cleaners & Caretakers - the results of a job satisfaction survey of school cleaners and caretakers - more quality training, better communications between management and staff, improved equipment and cleaning materials and 35% said women were discriminated against in promotion opportunities (16 pages). Fight Rate Capping, Privatisation and Cuts: Job Satisfaction Survey Parks & Recreation - the results of a job satisfaction survey in the city council’s Parks and Recreation Department, 73% of frontline workers and 80% of administrative staff wanted more control over their work, greater involvement and better training (16 pages). Contract on Cleansing briefing - the value of public cleaning, examples of private contractors fines and failures, cleansing job losses in outsourced contracts and the impact on wages and conditions (4 pages).
1986-02-25 08:55:29
Cleaning Up, Hawley Group plc, 1985: A SCAT Publications expose of a ruthless cleaning contractor that launched Mediclean Ltd in 1982 to bid for NHS contracts. Victorian values – Victorian wages summed up their approach, led by one Michael Ashcroft, later Lord Ashcroft and a former Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party (8 pages).
1985-02-25 09:10:29
Privatisation briefings: BIG Business is after your job, 1982, explains the threat of privatisation, what it means for jobs, services and users, and developing strategies, for NUPE London Division (4 pages). Social Services for Sale, 1984, shoes how children, the elderly and disabled bear the brunt of cuts and privatisation, the effects of rate capping and cashing in on care, NUPE London and East Midlands (4 pages).
1984-02-25 09:16:04
Competition, Cuts and Contractors: Lessons for trade unionists from three flagship London Boroughs, 1992: Detailed study of outsourcing and commercialisation in Westminster, Wandsworth and Kensington and Chelsea for NALGO, including contracts, costs, job impacts and the effect on services. Identifies the lessons for trade union strategies and wider policy implications (58 pages).
1992-02-24 09:02:15

This document was created by Chris Croome on 2012-07-18 12:29:15.
This document was last modified by Dexter Whitfield on 2013-11-19 11:08:00.
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Archive of key Centre for Public Services and SCAT reports

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