Economic turbulence and political uncertainty, pressures on local government finance and new accountabilities for schools are upon us. Sustainable, deliverable, long term collaborations are the only way to achieve the necessary improvements and efficencies across all of our communities
Not my words but those of one the sanest commentaries on a more cost effective procurement process that I have read. Not only is this document a quiet critique of present process but points to a more thoughtful future around public assets and procurement more generally.
The IESE (Improvement and Efficiency South East) Regional Construction Framework emphasises collaboration, partnership and playing to the real strengths of local Government. Was Partnerships for Schools (PfS) born of a Government that couldn’t decide whether local government was a vehicle for change or had to be commanded and controlled ? Was a feudal centralising approach, with all the real and obvious dangers of patronage, a result?The senior team at PfS deserve credit for re-setting wildly overblown and over optimistic original targets for the credibility of David Goldstone’s early vision. But they do not recognise the need for independent views about procurement.
In today’s climate of precious few checks-and-balances, the power to conform within the current system we work in is powerful and has overwhelmed many. As one senior construction leader said to me, “We can’t be seen to bite the hand that feeds us – and we’re really hungry “. People’s reputations should not be besmirched because they have different ideas about procurement.
Two years ago, an opportunity for an open and honest debate about procurement was lost by a not-so independent review. I fear a forthcoming Freedom of Information application will reveal that more than RIBA were made fools of. Kicking tough issues into the long grass stores up trouble for a future, now upon us, when we need to celebrate this wonderful investment. The costs have always been a separate issue.
In addition in November 2009, I also defended PfS from serious allegations of bullying contained in a Policy Exchange think tank report. I explained to ‘The Guardian’ newspaper journalist that this quango may be the biggest kid in the playground, but it didn’t necessarily make them a bully.
Looking forward, proud cities like Manchester lead the way to a better capital assets procurement strategy. They challenge diktat with collective political leadership, a powerful track record but more importantly simple ideas to save the public purse big money. Hampshire County Council and Reading Borough Council ‘blaze a joint trail’ because simple ideas save us all money and time.
I also get a sense that Hampshire’s Chief Executive, Andrew Smith, knows that projects properly done can really change lives whether you’ve got trees in your street or not. It helps that he’s become Chair of the National Improvement and Efficiency Partnership. Getting more for less is not just a slogan.
The ground is shifting. Against the odds new thinking around building communities and their assets is bubbling through. Commercially, those that want to thrive and create real long term value will form relationships based on collaboration, ideas and trust. Individual and corporate integity really does matter. The Brussels bureaucracy may be many things; but it’s not responsible for our own waste, duplication and top down approach.
The answer lies in our own hands and is already being shaped. That is the best of Britain.
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