Bedfordshire County Council has terminated the £265m Strategic Service-Delivery Partnership contract with HBS Business Services (owned by private equity group Terra Firma) in August 2005. HBS was been given a months notice for breach of contract. Over 500 staff transferred back to the County Council. This is the second SSP contract to be terminated and is a major setback for the Government and business lobby which promoted the SSP concept. Bedfordshire UNISON and the Centre for Public Services produced a detailed report revealing HBSs poor performance in March 2005 – see news items below to download a copy of the report.
