Cardiff County Council - Strategic Transformational Change or Sale of The Century?

Cardiff County Council is undergoing a massive transformation, with between 500 to 700 jobs being lost. Originally, the proposal was that this was to be by reorganisation over 5 to 7 years. But an apparent hole in the Council's finances has been used as an excuse to accelarate the process and bring in massive 15 year private sector 'partnerships'.

The idea came from 'public services industry' main plyer Price Waterhouse Cooper, who are now helping facilitate the 'transformation'. The first 15 year contract for ICT - with Indian based multinational Tata has been signed, though staff and unions are still not clear what they are here to do.

In October the Senior management assured companies interested in bidding for everything from schools buildings to home care at a 'market sounding forum', that the partners will have a place on the Corporate Management Board. Also the Chief Exec announced that the Council would be setting up a Cardiff Business Partnership, to be the true voice of Cardiff businesses.

In an article in the South Wales Echo recently, the main funders of this new body were to be...wait for it... Tata, Price waterhouse Cooper, Tesco and Media Wales. Is this the true voice of Cardiff Business? Will this mean the major companies like Tata, PWC and the other future consortia will be the main influences on the Business Partnership?

This Partnership will have the ear of the Council of course. Willl the same companies have places on the Corporate Management Board of the Council? Who will make the decisions on the size, shape and delivery of public services in Cardiff? Why will the newspapers owned by Media Wales (South Wales Echo/Western Mail) not print articles critical of the transformational change, or any of UNISON's press releases detailing our response to Tata's treatment of Indian Tetley Tea workers?

Cardiff County UNISON is launching a Cardiff Million Voices Campaign to bring these issues to wider attention- join our campaign and tell the Council - Our City's Not For Sale!

Mark Turner