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SERVICE DEAL FOR POLICE IS CRITICISED
Date : 28.03.08

A controversial "outsourcing scheme" which Avon and Somerset police joined in a £185 million deal last week has been fiercely attacked by an MP.

Outspoken Tory MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has criticised the way private firm Southwest One has been set up to provide services to the force. He used parliamentary privilege, which allows him to speak freely without fear of legal action.

 http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20258170

The Bridgwater MP is a long-term critic of the organisation - a partnership between IBM, and Somerset County and Taunton Deane Borough councils.

He questioned the role of project director Sue Barnes, who is married to force chief constable Colin Port.

However, the council and Avon and Somerset Police Authority have denied any suggestion of impropriety.

The force signed a 10-year deal with Southwest One last week, aiming to cut costs.

The public-private deal will see the force's financial services, human resources, IT, estates, facilities management and procurement, as well as inquiry offices, transfer to the management of Southwest One. The 600 civilian staff who work in these areas will remain police employees.

Mr Liddell-Grainger told a special Commons debate that IBM had seven "high-powered" executives on the interim board of Southwest One.

He said the councils were represented by two "woefully inexperienced Lib Dem councillors" who "would both be baffled by a balance sheet".

He said the company was "destined to gobble up £400 million pounds of public money." He said the plan was "driven by one dangerously determined individual - Alan Jones, chief executive of Somerset County Council".

However the council said: "The deal could save in excess of £200 million."

It said: "Sue Barnes was independently contracted to assist with our deal and has not worked on the police deal, nor has the council received any contribution to costs from Avon and Somerset Police.

"Throughout the process, Alan Jones has not been involved in any of the detailed negotiations that set this contract up. The police have not got a more favourable deal than the other authorities."

Dr Moira Hamlin, chair of Avon and Somerset Police Authority, said: "This decision has been made on the benefits this partnership can bring.

"I am disappointed that a local MP has hidden behind parliamentary privilege to make allegations about individuals and the processes around this decision."





MP slams Southwest One
Somerset County Gazette

WEST Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger today launched an astonishing attack on a new company set up to make multi-million pound savings in public services.

 http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/mostpopular.var.2148943.mostviewed.mp_slams_southwest_one.php

Mr Liddell-Grainger used a House of Commons speech to savage the "corruption" of Southwest One - a joint venture company set up by Somerset County Council, Taunton Deane Council and IBM, and this week joined by Avon and Somerset Police.

The councils and the police say Southwest One will deliver services on their behalf such as IT, finance, human resources and customer contact centres at great savings - click here for more details.

But Mr Liddell-Grainger said the details of how Southwest One will work have been kept secret. He also said the organisation could not hope to deliver the £200million savings it promised.

He told MPs: "I believe that public money is being misappropriated and I fear - I do not mince my words - corruption.

"Southwest One is an outfit born in secrecy and reliant on secrecy. Trade unionists who ask responsible questions are branded traitors. Joe Stalin would have been proud of the company.

"Southwest One is destined to gobble up more than £400million of public money providing just two councils with services over the next 10 years.

"Last night, I was bombarded with documents from Somerset County Council hoping to convince me of the savings. I read them all.

"They all mentioned the magic word "guarantee", but it is all aspiration - it is not an explanation of what is going on.

"Somerset people are being asked to believe in fairies, and we do not. Painless savings cannot be made unless there are real economies of scale, and they certainly cannot be guaranteed."

Somerset County Council has responded to MP Ian Liddell-Grainger's House of Commons speech by saying it is proud to be part of Southwest One.

Sam Crabb, county councillor for resources, said the company would make savings that would be ploughed back into front-line services.

He said: "The Somerset and Avon areas will get better services and staff will gain through assured employment and by working with colleagues from the world-class IT and business management providers, IBM."

In a joint statement, Jill Shortland, leader of Somerset County Council and Ross Henley, leader of Taunton Deane Council, said: "Southwest One has been set up with the express purpose of transforming and improving the delivery of services, making them more accessible and driving down costs.

"It's through collaborative working like this that we can deliver excellent customer-focused services, cost-effectively."

6:10pm Wednesday 26th March 2008




BBC- MP's anger over services company

Mr Liddell-Grainger said the deal was too secret

An MP has told the Commons he believes public money is being "misappropriated" with a company running public services in Somerset.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/7314767.stm

The company, Southwest One, was created to run administration services for Somerset and Taunton Deane councils.

Ian Liddell-Grainger, Tory MP for Bridgwater, questioned how the deal was set up. He said it was shrouded in secrecy and he "feared corruption".

Southwest One said the deal would demonstrate value for money.

Its chief executive, Richard Jones, added: "The public procurement process was robust and challenging. We were subject to various levels of scrutiny.

"External lawyers were appointed by the authorities to provide advice and guidance that all the procurement rules were followed."

"Southwest One is an outfit born in secrecy and reliant upon secrecy" said Ian Liddel-Grainger, MP.

Mr Liddell-Grainger's allegations were also rejected by Somerset County Council, which said they were "rubbish".

But local government union Unison backed the MP.

Some 800 staff from the two councils working in areas such as human resources, IT and finance will become employees of Southwest One, at a cost of £400m over 10 years.

Avon and Somerset Police Authority has also signed up to the scheme, in a deal worth £185m over 10 years and involving about 600 staff.

Mr Jones added: "A contract [sic] between Southwest One, Somerset, Taunton and Avon and Somerset Police have been reviewed and scrutinised by responsible officials from all the organisations.

"They are robust and subject to monthly performance reporting.

"We are contractually obliged to provide services to levels agreed in the contracts.

"These assure improving performance from the services which will be the responsibility of Southwest One."

'Real concerns'

Mr Liddell-Grainger said: "The National Audit Office has real concerns about Shared Service Partnerships (SSPs) like Southwest One.

"They published a report in January which said: 'Councils should only deliver services through SSPs if they are prepared to manage them effectively'.

"Southwest One is an outfit born in secrecy and reliant upon secrecy.

"Partnerships like this are a high-risk for the public purse unless there is robust evaluation, monitoring and control."

He called for all such arrangements to be subject to an independent review reporting directly to the Audit Commission and Parliament.

Southwest One is run by computer giant IBM, which has a 75% shareholding.

The government asked the MP to present any evidence of a failure to follow proper procedure to the district auditor.


SOUTHWEST ONE ATTACKED BY MP
BY MATTHEW GEORGEPOLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
08:00 - 27 March 2008 -
 http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=243687&home=yes&more_nodeId1=242222&contentPK=20249208
Outspoken Mp Ian LiddellGrainger has attacked the way private company Southwest One has been set up to provide services to councils and the police in the West.He used Parliamentary privilege, which allows him to speak freely without fear of legal action, to say he believed public money was being misappropriated - and that he feared corruption.


PR retaliation from SouthWest One:-
SAVINGS ARE PROMISED IN POLICE MOVE
 http://www.thisisbridgwater.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=224996&command=displayContent&sourceNode=225697&contentPK=20241945