The Open Public Services agenda is a massive drive to privatisation

Matt Dykes, writing on the TUC's Stronger Unons blog, provides a comprehensive critique of privatisation and calls on unions to promote in house service delivery, to build a rigorous evidence base on the benefits of public service delivery as well as form alliances with community groups and service users to derail the privatisation juggernaught:
http://touchstoneblog.org.uk/2012/07/is-the-tide-turning-on-public-sector-outsourcing/

Insourcing - when privatisation inevitably fails, bring it back!

Computer World UK reports that Tory led Somerset County Council is set to bring back in house 160 staff from its £400m Southwest One outsourcing venture with IBM - 'the move follows a review by the council, which concluded the venture was failing': http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/3342802/somerset-insources-160-staff-from-troubled-southwest-one/

There is a discernable and very welcome trend towards insourcing due to contract failures. In December 2011, Sefton Council on Merseyside terminated a £65m highways and technical services contract with Capita Symonds (a division of the Capita Group), because it failed to deliver expected savings:
 http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/11/25/sefton-council-confirms-plan-to-tear-up-a-65m-contract-outsourcing-services-to-the-private-sector-100252-29839096/

In-House: The Right Choice for the Right Reasons

Why the Edinburgh in-house option is 'best value'. UNISON has issued a briefing on why the In-House Environment Option is 'best value' and should be supported by councillors on 24 November: http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/citynotforsale/EnviroBriefng.pdf  . UNISON examines all the privatisation issues in a detailed briefing to councillors and urges a decision made on 'best value' for the people of Edinburgh. Check out the website for full details http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/

Unions and Labour – insourcing victory‏

A newly elected Labour Council has moved to take services back in-house. The London Borough of Ealing, which saw Labour capture 17 seats in the elections earlier this year, has decided to take its highways services back in-house from contractor Mouchel next year when the current contract comes to an end.