Council Spending
Discussion
So our council (Sarfend) have finally released their spending over £500 neatly packaged just a short 22 clicks away from their front page.
Quite interesting reading from a supply chain point of view but also some payments that make you go wow.
Seems I need to change my focus away from capital highways projects and get into catering for council functions or flower arranging down the park.
So who's had a look at theirs so far?
Quite interesting reading from a supply chain point of view but also some payments that make you go wow.
Seems I need to change my focus away from capital highways projects and get into catering for council functions or flower arranging down the park.
So who's had a look at theirs so far?
Jasandjules said:
MOTORVATOR said:
Quite interesting reading from a supply chain point of view but also some payments that make you go wow.
Such as?£6m pa on agency staff outside of work that consultants are employed for.
As the selected contractor for highways capital works it has also highlighted a bit of misinformation that has been given to us recently, but I'll keep that to myself if you don't mind.
I'm still looking but of course depending on what you're looking for there are always going to be elements that make your eyes water.
DonkeyApple said:
Camden have always sent out a little booklet detailing their spending.
What has always been amusing is that almost the single largest item was called 'Miscelaneous Items' (or similar) and was tens and tens of millions.
That's the whole point they can't just do that now they have to publish any payment going out over 500 quid and who it goes to. Have until the end of the month to have it published and there are still quite a few that haven't done it yet.What has always been amusing is that almost the single largest item was called 'Miscelaneous Items' (or similar) and was tens and tens of millions.
I guess the media will be focussing on those first.
MOTORVATOR said:
Jasandjules said:
MOTORVATOR said:
Quite interesting reading from a supply chain point of view but also some payments that make you go wow.
Such as?£6m pa on agency staff outside of work that consultants are employed for.
As the selected contractor for highways capital works it has also highlighted a bit of misinformation that has been given to us recently, but I'll keep that to myself if you don't mind.
I'm still looking but of course depending on what you're looking for there are always going to be elements that make your eyes water.
crankedup said:
MOTORVATOR said:
Jasandjules said:
MOTORVATOR said:
Quite interesting reading from a supply chain point of view but also some payments that make you go wow.
Such as?£6m pa on agency staff outside of work that consultants are employed for.
As the selected contractor for highways capital works it has also highlighted a bit of misinformation that has been given to us recently, but I'll keep that to myself if you don't mind.
I'm still looking but of course depending on what you're looking for there are always going to be elements that make your eyes water.
Hopefully the councils will slash unnecessary spending to the bone - but I doubt they will. They probably signed ridiculus contract terms that mean it is more costly to cancel the contracts, as most procurement is negotiated by idiots.
A council near me was involved in setting up a shopping mall, Cheshire Oaks.
They retained responsibility for the maintenance and lighting of the venue then put the contract out to tender.
The firm who won the tender (rumours of scurrilous doings there) took the money for a 5 year contract and promptly went bust.
This meant the council had to pick up the bill for the lighting and maintenance for 5 years without any money.
Now if this had occurred in a private firm someone may have looked into the finances of the decision maker.
In the council, not a chance.
They retained responsibility for the maintenance and lighting of the venue then put the contract out to tender.
The firm who won the tender (rumours of scurrilous doings there) took the money for a 5 year contract and promptly went bust.
This meant the council had to pick up the bill for the lighting and maintenance for 5 years without any money.
Now if this had occurred in a private firm someone may have looked into the finances of the decision maker.
In the council, not a chance.
johnfm said:
crankedup said:
MOTORVATOR said:
Jasandjules said:
MOTORVATOR said:
Quite interesting reading from a supply chain point of view but also some payments that make you go wow.
Such as?£6m pa on agency staff outside of work that consultants are employed for.
As the selected contractor for highways capital works it has also highlighted a bit of misinformation that has been given to us recently, but I'll keep that to myself if you don't mind.
I'm still looking but of course depending on what you're looking for there are always going to be elements that make your eyes water.
Hopefully the councils will slash unnecessary spending to the bone - but I doubt they will. They probably signed ridiculus contract terms that mean it is more costly to cancel the contracts, as most procurement is negotiated by idiots.
In London, at least 30% of the LA spend is on council housing and its associated costs. This is the single biggest item and so it should be where they start.
I would hazard that they could make sufficient savings in that part alone to protect most front line jobs etc.
How would they cut it? By using their weight in the market place to force the private landlords and associated services to take the cuts onto their books.
If I were head of a LA I would be looking to the supermarkets to learn how you utilise your buying power to squeeze your suppliers to the point that they still deliver, don't go bust and don't have much fat.
The big problem they have is that they are a soft touch of at best idealistic, at worst incompetant and probably mostly just soft people.
MOTORVATOR said:
Er "catering for council functions or flower arranging down the park" Both companies I know well and know what they provide and am amazed at how much the council spends with them.
Wow, you'd think that a secretary could just pop out to the shop to get some Hobnobs and Digestives!! I have no doubt that money is p***ed up the wall, after all, it isn't their money. I was just curious as to what they were blowing millions on (not including pension pots for the "workers").
Jasandjules said:
MOTORVATOR said:
Er "catering for council functions or flower arranging down the park" Both companies I know well and know what they provide and am amazed at how much the council spends with them.
Wow, you'd think that a secretary could just pop out to the shop to get some Hobnobs and Digestives!! Jasandjules said:
MOTORVATOR said:
Er "catering for council functions or flower arranging down the park" Both companies I know well and know what they provide and am amazed at how much the council spends with them.
Wow, you'd think that a secretary could just pop out to the shop to get some Hobnobs and Digestives!! Then there is the diversity re-training of the conducting manager, sorry, personager for their discrimination towards the Director of Printed Type and Postage (secretary).
And this is all before we've even begun to look at the ramifications of saying 'hobnobs' in the work place.
All of the payments that I'm aware were made last year are listed incorrectly on our Council's spending report and some are missing.
Eg, Payment of £20k that was £45k, payment of £1k that was over £10k, payment of £7k that was £17k. One is missing completely yet totals about £8k.
Take the numbers with a pinch of salt!
Eg, Payment of £20k that was £45k, payment of £1k that was over £10k, payment of £7k that was £17k. One is missing completely yet totals about £8k.
Take the numbers with a pinch of salt!
DonkeyApple said:
Jasandjules said:
MOTORVATOR said:
Er "catering for council functions or flower arranging down the park" Both companies I know well and know what they provide and am amazed at how much the council spends with them.
Wow, you'd think that a secretary could just pop out to the shop to get some Hobnobs and Digestives!! Then there is the diversity re-training of the conducting manager, sorry, personager for their discrimination towards the Director of Printed Type and Postage (secretary).
And this is all before we've even begun to look at the ramifications of saying 'hobnobs' in the work place.
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