Commissioning Councils

UNISON has called on the London Borough of Barnet to immediately abandon its plan to become a Commissioning Council. The report by the European Services Strategy Unit (ESSU) documents the fundamental weaknesses in each stage of the procurement process for two large strategic partnerships of up to £1billion value and nearly 1,000 staff

The report documents the Council’s commissioning of two large strategic partnership contracts, assesses the Council’s reorganisation to become a Commissioning Council and examines the impact of this model for service users, elected members, staff and community and voluntary organisations. The Costs and Consequences of a One Barnet Commissioning Council study also revealed a systemic failure in contract management in Adult Services and proposes an alternative strategy.

“The procurement of a large long-term multi-service strategic partnership is a difficult, complex and costly process for any local authority. Yet despite Barnet Council’s appalling track record in commissioning relatively small contracts, it is the first local authority to attempt to procure two strategic partnerships concurrently. Strategic partnerships already have a high failure rate, so the Council is imposing high risks and stresses on service users, staff and threatening the viability of essential services”


Dexter Whitfield

The detailed report can be downloaded at http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2012/commissioning-council-plan-exposed/costs-and-consequences-of-a-one-barnet-commissioning-council.pdf