Archive of key Centre for Public Services and SCAT reports

Important documents on a range of public policy issues produced between 1973 and late 1990s.

Published on 18th July 2012. Last updated 17th March 2023.

  • Public Service Analysis, Issue 1, Spring 1997

    Articles on The Post Office: A privatisation too far; school meals – children’s health; research on the scale of externalisation of council services; private finance – the future for public services and government outsourcing study ignores equalities.

  • Social & Economic Audit, Down Lisburn Trust, Northern Ireland, UNISON, 1995

    An analysis of the costs of tendering services at the Down Lisburn NHS Trust affecting nearly 500 staff. It forecasts the savings claimed by the Trust will be significantly reduced or eliminated by client costs. Many of the staff live in three wards that are amongst the most deprived wards in Northern Ireland.

  • Social & Economic Audit, Royal Hospital Trust, Belfast, September 1993

    A social and economic audit of plans to run-down the Royal Hospital in West Belfast in 1993 by transferring several specialities to the City Hospital. Examines the job losses and equality impacts, the potential impact on West Belfast and the public costs of unemployment. Calculation of the jobs multiplier and the public cost of unemployment are the Appendices. UNISON campaign was successful (28 pages).

  • The Bradford Experiment: Counting the Cost, Bradford NALGO, researched by Services to Community Action & Trade Unions, March 1990.

    A hard-hitting report by Bradford NALGO which examines the sweeping changes from the time the Conservatives narrowly gained control of Bradford Council in October 1988, until the setting of the Poll Tax in March 1990. It outlines the local Tory strategy and national significance of The Bradford Experiment; describes the scale and impact of cuts and restructuring; provides a critical analysis of Bradford Council’s commercialisation strategy; looks in detail at what the Bradford Experiment has meant for users of services; examines the impact of these changes on the local economy; and draws out lessons to be learnt (36 pages).

  • Public Service Practice

    A series of best practice reports on key aspects of public management.

    The Public Service Practice Series aims to give advice and guidance to public policy professionals about the progressive implementation of modernisation and other initiatives while retaining a focus on broader issues of social justice, equalities, staff and user involvement and community well being.

    A Handbook for Checking Specifications (PSP6)

    For contracts and service level agreements (May 1995 - 40 pages). Covers specification strategy and performance standards, Quality Plan, method statements, equal opportunities, environmental policy, monitoring performance, contract conditions and quantifying the work.

    Best Value Implementation Handbookk (PSP8) Not Available

    A guide to implementing Best Value, incorporating the Best Value Code for Quality Employment (November 1998). Contents: Best Value strategic management framework. Corporate policies, strategic objectives and definition of Best Value. Performance standards, indicators and benchmarking. User, employee and public involvement. Best Value Code for Quality Employment. Implementation plan. Baseline profile. Service reviews and competitiveness policy. Local Performance Plan for continuous improvement.

    2004-03-17 10:30:44

    A detailed handbook for equal opportunities in competitive tendering. Not Available
    Contents: Legislative context. Who should be involved. Building equalities into the key stages of the tendering process. Implementing equalities in Direct Service Organisations. Trade union guidance.

    2004-03-17 12:43:25

    Management Consultants: A Best Value Handbook (PSP9)

    A practical guide for local authorities, health and public bodies, trade unions and community organisations (December 1999). Assessing the need for consultants. Best Value selection and evaluation of consultants. Negotiating model agreements. Trade union options and strategies. Guidance for community organisations. Consultants in Best Value and PPP projects. Assessing consultants proposals. The consultancy market. Appendices: Company profiles. Codes of practice and professional conduct.

    2004-03-17 09:59:44

    Public Services and Business Plans (PSP5)

    A detailed handbook for developing public service planning (February 1993). Planning the future of public services. Designing plans for the public sector. Planning and the 'internal market'. Organising the planning process. Useful planning techniques. Preparing a public service plan. Presenting and using the plan.

    2004-03-17 12:29:15

    Strategy for Best Value

    Guidance for developing Best Value Strategies (October 1997). Contents: Government Proposals. A seven part definition of Best Value. How should Best Value be assessed? Which services will it cover? Employee and user involvement. Achieving social justice through Best Value Re-organising in-house services. Examining market testing options. Corporate policies. New opportunities for DSOs. Public management and Best Value. Resource issues.

    2004-03-17 14:02:38

    Tender Evaluation (PSP1)

    A detailed handbook for Tender Evaluation in white collar, professional and manual services (March 1994 - 78 pages). Contents: Preparing for tender evaluation. Trade union and user role in tender evaluation. Balancing quality and price. Compliance with specification and contract conditions. Technical and quality assessment. Evaluation matrix. Environment assessment. Financial assessment. TUPE policy. Contract decision. Technical and quality assessment. Best Practice: Accounting for all the costs and benefits.

    2004-03-17 13:36:36

    User/Employee Involvement in Best Value, PFI and Partnerships (PSP7) Not Available

    A handbook for local authorities, health and other public bodies, user and community organisations and trade unions (April 1998). Covered ppolicy changes affecting user/employee involvement, defining the user/employee relationship, user/employee involvement in assessing Best Value and continuous improvement, trade unions and user organisations working together, equal opportunities and social justice best practice, user involvement and participation techniques and a public service quality framework.

    2004-03-17 10:59:46

    In this section:

  • Their Business Your Public Service: Lincolnshire’s Enabling Experience, East Midlands UNISON, researched by Centre for Public Services, April 1993

    Lincolnshire County Council was one of the first local authorities in Britain to adopt the enabling model of local government in the early 1990’s. The report examines the enabling model, Lincolnshire’s approach to enabling through business units and an internal market, the performance of business units, business planning, and assesses the impact on service users and staff. Summarises similar approaches in other local authorities (44 pages).

  • Public Service Action: An Anti-Privatisation Newsletter for the Labour Movement 1983-1997 Digital Access

    Fifty-six issues were produced between 1983-1997 that contained news, analysis and information focusing on key issues and developments in the public and recently privatised sectors. Each 12, 16 or 24 page issue reported on contract failures, campaigns and industrial action, company information, research, policy and legislative changes with a print run of 10,000 copies. Download selected copies of from the boxes that follow the list of contents of each issue.

    Public Service Action No. 55 and 56: Rebuilding the welfare state - Equal Pay Wins - MoD head for privatisation binge - New deals, profits and taxpayer losses - Heavy toll on jobs - PFI Consortia: who's who - PFI the big lie - Who benefits from CCT - Critical eye on agency model - Rail carve-up for private firms.

    Public Service Action No. 54 1996: Royal Mail Sale?- Benefit contracts – MoD Homes sell-off – Women secure big discrimination pay-outs – Fall-out spreads over nuclear sale – Labour takes the consensus route – PFI: USA style – PFI: showpiece or shambles – Poverty on the increase – CCT Pressure increases – Contractor update.

    Public Service Action No. 53 1996; Health Tendering Costs Jobs - Safety Fears Grow as Privatisation Gathers Speed - Private sector to benefit from DSS cuts - Pension blow for School Meals Staff - Wandsworth benefits from massive subsidy - PFI: high speed privatisation - Uncertainty continues to surround nuclear sell-off - Gender impact of DSO surpluses - After CCT? - Contractor update

    Public Service Action No. 52 1995: PFI boost for private services – Demands to curb bus wars – Too little too late from the budget – Tenants lobby MPs – Union campaign against Pall Mall – Externalisation stopped – DSO sell-offs – Catering contractors – Private contractors who’s who – EOC calls for suspension of CCT in Northern Ireland – New CCT rules.

    Public Service Action No. 51, 1995: Environment Minister challenges EOC Report - Nuclear sell-off safety fears - Rail sell off approaching the buffers? - Electricity takeovers - TUPE new legal ruling - Equal Pay victory for school meals staff - Court rules against Contractors' cartel - Global 'Corrections' Market Developing - East Midlands Counts the cost - Privatisation of Council Housing What are local Housing Companies - Personnel sector analysis - Externalisation under scrutiny-

    Public Service Action No. 49/50 Spring 1995: Tendering Increases Inequality and poverty - Women hit hardest by CCT - Government subsidy for CCT - TUC calls for better deal for part-timers - TUPE: A new threat- The growth of quangos - Union concerns over contract award in Employment Service - Mergers and budget cuts cast shadow over RECs - Ealing's Externalisation fails to meet targets - Is this the end of the NHS? - Home truths: housing management contracts - Transnational Monopoly - Consultants wait to cherry pick - Government fails to stop share ownership decline - Legal firms gear up for competition - Bus merger brings pressure to end dispute - Corruption increases with spread of CCT.

    Public Service Action No. 48 (not available)

    Public Service Action No. 47 (not available)

    Public Service Action No. 46 February 1992: Urban Management plc -What future for the Civil
    Services? Private prisons - Local Government Bill widely criticised - Contractors Fines and Failures - Privatisation of the Royal Parks - a cut above - School Meals campaign.

    Public Service Action No. 45 November 1991: Contractors' Charter - Esop fails in Newcastle - Privatising the Pits - Companies and consultants - Waste industry takeovers -Sports and Leisure contract awards - Wandsworth retenders cleaning contracts - Contractor Fines and failures - Flagship Management buyout goes bust -

    Public Service Action No. 44 February 1991: Waste deal – Alternative Care Plan – Business as usual – Power sell-off – A revitalised British Rail – NHS: Opting and contracting out – Transfer market – Contract analysis.

    Public Service Action No. 43 August 1990: 70,000 jobs lost, 3 buy-outs collapse - Consultants profit from Housing Action Trust failureBFI: Politics and Garbage -Calls for more scrutiny - Contractor fines and failures - Cashing in on care - Skills scandal - Guarded failure private security firm exposed - Regalian sell-off - Housing choice: evil, and brutalises people.

    Public Service Action No. 42, April 1990 April 1990: - DOE acts for contractors - 'Anti-Competition' complaints - A Clean Sweep trade unions and tenants united in Newcastle - The Bradford experiment - The price of winning: Contractors Audit Vol 3 - Housing action trusts resuscitated - cashing in on care contractor fines and failures - companies and consultants - health privatisation in Scotland - Private landlord company rejected.

    Public Service Action No. 41 November 1989: Health action raises standards - Wirral women triumph - Catering contractors scared off - contractor fines and failures - Private security booms - education opting out - the cost of caring - transfer of four estates to tenants rejected - House sales top privatisation income - Buy as you rent homes.

    Public Service Action No. 40 July 1989: Water drains Tory support - Cleaners: women lose out -Management Buy Outs special report - Food poisoning and contract caterers - Education reform and local management of schools - Equal opportunities and CCT - Monitoring the council housing privatisers.

    Public Services Action No. 39 April 1989: Contract Abuse -contracts awarded - Bus blues - toxic waste - French companies bid for contracts - new European catering monster - playing the game by outsourcing leisure management - Lincolnshire contract collusion -Contractor fines and failures - Radical surgery restructure of the NHS - central control of local government

    Public Service Action No. 38 November 1988: Bradford's blue print cuts and privatisation - ARA sacked by Wandsworth Council - Biffa Waste win South Bucks District Council refuse contract then demand additional payments before starting contract - New threat to Direct Labour Organisations - Scotland for sale - Tax shelters - Housing Action Trusts - Forsyth effect in Scottish NHS tendering - Learning the lessons - water stakes - rail sale.

    Public Service Action No. 37 August 1988: Tenants in revolt over Housing Action Trusts - Hospital in-house move for cleaners - Westminster leisure deal - catering competitors - lessons learned and scope to protect in-house standards, services and jobs - Contractors Audit in Manchester - Monopoly cleaning with BET and Hawley Group - comedy of errors in Merton cleaning - Civil Service agencies - fattening up/slimming down nationalised industries - preparing privatisation of water - prisons - the hard cell.

    Public Service Action No. 36 July 1988: Visible hand- DHSS danger warning – Privatised management – Private in-roads – Testing the market – Profit samples: private pathology – Mis-use of units costs and rates – At their leisure – Cashing the Giro – End of the Road – National Bus Company – We are not for sale.

    Public Service Action No. 35 June 1988: Council tendering - Community care a private future - NHS going to market - Health union campaign in Scotland - Contractor fines and failures - Council's rush to sell housing estates -North East trade unions develop strategy - privatisation of Scottish Transport Group - relaunch of campaign against water privatisation - guards in prisons - Roll over Rover - British shipbuilders down the slipway - Sell-off timetable.

    Public Service Action No. 34 April 1988: Racist bidding in NHS contract - NHS Defending the Defendable - Tender fiasco in Merton - Pritchards pull out of contract after claiming additional payments - Future of agencies in the Civil Service - Action for Cities - action against our cities - trading departments and companies - Selling the World - New Zealand three years hard labour - British Columbia credit drive - contract trends in USA - ICS = Incompetent Cleaning Services.

    Public Service Action No. 33 February 1988: Safer in our hands - HCA's trojan horse - Contract fines and failures - Pritchards whole truth - Rush to failure by contractors - Westminster Council cemeteries sale - tenants stop sale of 1,400 coal board houses - organising cleaners in USA - privatisation of British Rail catering services - anti union drive in privatised National Freight - Battle for Britoil.

    Public Service Action No. 32 December 1987: Health warning for practices of Ealing catering contractor - Contractor fines and failures - Union memberships drive in British Telecom subsidiaries - Going commercial in Health - Takeovers and mergers - Housing Action Trusts are single minded organisations - management consultants - new contractor reneges on union policy - Tory share plan crashes - BP's big ban - market turmoil as privatisation share collapse.

    Public Service Action No. 31 Oct/Nov 1987: privatisation the DIY way by opting out - pits and mortar cashing in on coal homes - private BT will 'improve efficiency' - Contract fines and failures - a strategy to combat statutory tendering - buses competition farce - new onslaught to privatise civil service functions.

    Public Service Action No. 30 August 1987: Gas and airline takeover mania - preparation for sale of electricity - NHS trading bodies plan - some Councils seek to outsource all services - the soaring national costs of privatisation - Contractors - 47 sackings/abandoned contracts - Mafia links alleged in US waste contractor - private care scandal.

    Public Service Action No. 29 July 1987: Local government bill explained - property companies buy and sell National Coal Board homes - Right wing organisation writing education agenda - Vanishing shareholders after privatisation - water: Ridley does down river - Bus workers in tender trap - Catering contractors hi-jack health agenda - BT management offensive - companies target council transport - Contractor fines and failures - private health deals in the NHS.

    Public service Action No. 28 April 1987: What's in store from a third Thatcher term? - impact of sale of Royal Ordnance to British Aerospace - electricity unions campaign against privatisation and charter for electricity supply - Leyland Trucks sold to Dutch - special analysis: Audit Commission - no accounting for quality - the big lie about tendering saving the NHS £86m - Contractor fines and failures - Any future for Council housing?

    Public Service Action No. 27 February 1987: Statutory tendering in local government delated - Sky high profits on. sale of British Airway shares - Westminster City Council PLC - asset stripping Rover Group - more outsourcing in the Civil Service - Contractor fines and failures ISS still cannot clean schools - chaos on the buses - British Coal homes rip-off - Meeting needs/creating jobs in Manchester, Sheffield, Islington, Hackney and Darlington.

    Public Service Action No. 26 December 1986: Contractor fines and failures - Scarsdale Hospital strikers proved right as contractor abandons contract - British Telecom 2 years on - private cash for public housing - who gains and who loses? estate sales action conference - the value of public cleansing - British Gas - what Sid didn't tell you.

    Public Service Action No. 25 October 1986: British Coal house sale clearance - monopoly cleaning takeovers to eliminate competition - health occupiers win - private health deals - privatising public assets knock-down prices - privatised Sealink Ferries occupation - sale of Trustee Savings Bank bonanza for speculators - growing scandal in private care homes - contractor fines and failures.

    Public Service Action No. 24 September 1986: 500,000 jobs at risk - water privatisation postponed - Contractor fines and failures - Lincolnshire County Council sacks 1,000 cleaners and ignores ISS failure record - Newcastle City Council sells estate to Bellway to improve and resell to tenants but serious flaws - Contractor fines and failures in hospital catering.

    Public Service Action No. 23 July 1986: Takeovers eliminates competition between contractors - Union campaign stops Community Psychiatric Centres (USA) from building, managing and operating a Birmingham hospital solely for NHS patients - privatising the inner cities - public money funds private developers in London Docklands - Contractor fines and failures.

    Public Service Action No. 22 May 1986: Contractor fines and failures - NHS Managers despair as standards spiral downwards - new municipal laundry service in Sheffield - Haringey school meals project - Dirty business and the waste contractors - who 'wins' with in-house tenders? - worst fears of bus deregulation - water campaign with a charter for water.

    Public Service Action No. 21 March/April 1986: Business Expansion Scheme funds private care - Councils closing care homes - Contractor fines and failures - Audit Commission accountants answer
    to the housing crisis with higher rents, 8,000 'surplus' jobs and selling estates to private builders! - the geography of NHS privatisation.

    Public Service Action No. 20 Jan/Feb 1986: Impact of new Housing and Planning Bill - Contractor fines and failures - cosy consultants - how private care exploits the elderly - NHS tendering government moves goalposts to appease contractors - Blue Arrow group employment agency.

    Public Service Action No. 19 November 1985: Contractor fines and failures - Dockyards strike - Neasden Hospital occupied to prevent closure and sale of site - Estate sales public money for private profit - Taking action against Value for Money studies - Migrant workers suffer in Pritchards Kuwait contract - British Telecom one year sine privatisation - Bechtel bids to build electricity power station in Northern Ireland.

    Public Service Action No. 18 October 1985: Statutory Tendering demands - Contractor fines and failures - British Steel Corporation mergers and closures for privatisation - Campaign against privatisation of NHS ancillary services spreads - job loss table from tendering - Merton social services paying the price - parents slam Sutcliffe's junk food.

    Public Service Action No. 17 August 1985: Joint union action defends school meals in Hillingdon - Contractor finds and failures - sale of airports - the tender trap avoid in-house bids - asset sales - company towns -- estate sales boost - contractors and consultants

    Public Service Action No. 16 July 1985: Pritchard Services Group international links - exploitation in South Africa and Wandsworth contract workforce turnover reached 1,000 for just 80 jobs in three years - Crothall pay and conditions in the NHS - Organising contractors - airport cleaners strike back.

    Public Service Action No. 15 June 1985: Private home helps in Northern Ireland - Sheffield Council launched an improved and expanded Trade Waste service - British Gas high speed sale planned - Taking action against privatisation - £12bn from land and building sales since 1979 - Contractor fines and failures - privatising pensions - US health companies merge - sale of remaining 48.4% stake in British Aerospace.

    Public Service Action No. 14 March 1985: Tories plan contract bonanza - water hive-off planned - Contractor fines and failures - Hawley profits doubled - asset stripping of British Shipbuilders is speeding up - drastic impact of 1985 Transport Bill - Improving school meals the Haringey approach - NHS fraud by consultants.

    Public Service Action No. 13 February 1985: Workers plan for Barking Hospital - 20 weeks into Addenbrooke's hospital strike - Infectious time bomb at St Helier Hospital - ARA moves into UK - private poison increased use in parks, open spaces, playing fields and cemeteries - Medway closes DLO - Civil Service functions face privatisation.

    Public Service Action No. 12 December 1984: Contract racism at Heathrow Airport - Pritchards hire union busters in USA - BT theft - Norwich win for direct labour - more housing sales in Glasgow, Reading, Medway, Wandsworth, Nottingham, Westminster - NHS action in Barking.

    Public Service Action No. 11 November 1984: Contractor fines and failures - Hawley and Michael Ashcroft cleaning up - right wind Monday Club policy paper and Norman Tebbit speech to the Selsdon Group - contractors and consultants - Ministry of Defence reform and new threat to jobs.

    Public Service Action No. 10 September 1984: Privatisation the hidden agenda in the Miners Strike - BT share sale con - Fife NHS workers win,

    Public Service Action No. 9 August 1984: Barking Hospital campaign, Contract fines and failures, Direct Labour under attack, Council house sales: the facts, Public transport jobs and services threatened, NHS action, 'Workhouse Food' for elderly, Westminster Council Leader's campaign to abolish Greater London Council, New Town for sale.

    Public Service Action No. 8 June 1984: Hammersmith Hospital campaign interview, Cockroaches in Barking, School meal cuts and contractors, British Telecom sales talk, British Gas private repairs,Contractor fines and failures, London tenants fight sales, Boardroom conflict in Brengreen Group.

    Public Service Action No. 7 April 1984: Organising the contractors, Tenants campaign against home sales, Contractor fines and failures, some successes in the NHS, demands for Councils to open the books, fighting wage cuts in school meals, cleaners speak out, multi-million Defence contracts are planned.

    Public Service Action No. 6 February 1984: Contractor fines and failures, Medway Hospital strike, hard times at Waste Management Ltd, merchant banker SG Warburg's conflict of interests in advising government on privatisation, homes for elderly sold, school meals - frozen sandwiches, Bus and tube auction, spiral of decline for government agency.

    Public Service Action No. 5 Nov/Dec 1983: Cleaning firm exposed – BT: the fight goes on – Westminster: forging links – Training profits – Special supplement: Facts and fantasies: Buying shares in privatised public assets – Private power – NHS: action build-up.

    Public Service Action No. 4 October 1983: Telecom managers oppose BT sale, builders gain control of building regulations, Contractor fines and failures, takeovers and mergers, Controlling Contractors, Estates sold in Knowsley, privatisation of 91 heavy goods Vehicle Testing Stations stopped, who owns whom?

    Public Service Action No. 3 August 1983: Contractor fines and failures, Telecom carve-up, privatising education - teachers fight back, Tarmac bids for private roads, Wage cuts for Birmingham school cleaners, City slickers - city connections, Imposing conditions on contractors, new Housing Bill extends sale of council housing and housing for the elderly.

    Public Service Action No 2. May 1983: USA waste management firm facing Federal probe bids for UK contracts, Workers win Direct Labour expansion in Liverpool, Contractors and consultants - sick profits while elderly suffer, pay and conditions, Calderdale NHS Laundry campaign, Defence contracts, more council estates for sale.

    Public Service Action No. 1 March 1983: Attack on the NHS, Job loss table, Barratt Developments buying up council housing, Contractor fines and failures, Tories have 21 ways to privatise council housing, Direct Labour tendering costs, who owns the contractors, Speculators privatisation share price index,

  • Best?Value

    A new guide book which explains both the threats and opportunities of best value. The guide explains both the threats and opportunities of Best value. The threats include the pressure for competition and a new outsourcing, externalisation and privatisation agenda replacing CCT; superficial consultation paying lip service to community organisations and employees; and the threat of of an inspection, surveillance and auditing implosion diverting badly needed resources from frontline services.

  • CCT on the Record, Local government Information Unit, 1994

    A review of the experience of Compulsory Competitive Tendering under the Local Government Act 1988. Includes sections on the effects on services and jobs, claimed savings and the consequences of the baling model of local government.

  • Public Housing News

    A NALGO/SCAT Housing Landlord Information Service was launched in 1989 to establish a database of new landlords seeking to takeover council housing and to report on tenant organisations and NALGO Branch campaigns to stop estate/whole stock transfers, Housing Action Trusts and other policies to privatise UK council housing. Public Housing News was published bi-monthly. The project was provided in-house by NALGO for several years from 1992.

  • Competition, Cuts and Contractors: Lessons for trade unionists from three flagship London Boroughs, 1992

    Detailed study of outsourcing and commercialisation in Westminster, Wandsworth and Kensington and Chelsea for NALGO, including contracts, costs, job impacts and the effect on services. Identifies the lessons for trade union strategies and wider policy implications (58 pages).

  • Counting the Cost, 1995

    Commissioned by East Midlands UNISON, it analysis the gender impact and public costs of Compulsory Competitive Tendering in the region, the impact on women workers and the regional economy (32 pages).

  • Campaigning for Care in Social Services, 1985

    A comprehensive National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) action pack, produced by Services to Community Action and Trade Unions (SCAT) which includes Developing Alternative Demands to Improve Services includes developing plans and explains why cooperatives are not the answer (4 pages); Trade Unionists Guide to Value for Money explains effectiveness, efficiency, economy and value for money, the use of management consultants and the myth of independence (8 pages); Developing Joint Action and User Committees includes building alliances and examples of joint action (4 pages); and others on organising, campaigning, developing strategies and monitoring agency staffing, volunteers, private contractors and private residential homes.

  • SCAT Privatisation Briefings on Improving Jobs and Services, 1985

    Alternative Demands explains why alternative demands are needed, what should be covered, developing joint worker/user plans and examples of alternative public sector plans (6 pages).

    Contractors: Job Losses & Wage Cuts details job losses from competitive tendering, wage cuts and other terms and conditions (4 pages).

    Trade Union Action Against Contractors provides advice on action to take at different stages of the tendering process and cost comparisons (8 pages).

  • Externalisation by Privatisation, 1997

    Details the scale of privatisation by the sale of Direct Service Organisations, management buyouts, leisure trusts and large-scale voluntary transfer of council housing. Assesses the impact on jobs and employment policies, the effect on local authorities and local economies and the growth of an externalisation market, for UNISON (44 pages).

  • Externalisation by Privatisation: Trade Union Strategy, 1998

    Makes the case against externalisation, a detailed discussion on trade union strategies and a checklist of questions to challenge local authorities, consultants and contractors, for UNISON (20 pages).

  • Taken to the Cleaners: The Lincolnshire Experience, East Midlands NUPE and NALGO, researched by Services to Community Action & Trade Unions, November 1988

    An investigation of the impact of outsourcing school cleaning by Lincolnshire County Council to ISS, the Danish-based multinational cleaning company. The County Council claimed savings of £351,000 but cleaning staff were literally robbed of £450,000 through wage cuts. Visits to schools around the County revealed systemic problems of incomplete and poor quality, high staff turnover and staff shortages, lack of training and inadequate monitoring. Includes an analysis of school cleaning in other local authorities, and commentary on the appraisal, evaluation and monitoring of contracts. Concludes with 16 key lessons (40 pages).

  • We Are NOT for Sale – Part 1, 1985

    Sets out a ten-point action plan to fight estate sales ranging from planning an effective campaign to developing alternatives, building alliances and strengthening tenants’ organisations. Concludes with a 118-question checklist divided into sections about challenging local authorities, developers, the government and housing associations (32 pages).

  • We are NOT for Sale – Part 2, 1989

    Sets out the detailed implications of the 1986 and 1988 Housing Acts which legislated for Housing Action Trusts (to improve estates and sell them to private landlords, developers, housing associations or co-ops), estate and whole stock transfers to housing associations and the privatisation of management and maintenance of estates. The government sought to extend a free market in private rented housing and sought to attract large institutional investors to become landlords. Draws on lessons of tenants campaigns around Britain since the action guide was published in 1985. (48 pages).

  • Cashing in on Care, National Union of Public Employees and Services to Community Action & Trade Unions, 1984

    Exposes the effects of attempts to reduce and remould key parts of the welfare state and a Victorian version of ‘community care’. It identifies unmet needs, the impact of spending cuts, and the increasing use of volunteers. The growth of the private homes business is described as ‘tender loving neglect’ and shows the increasing use of private contractors. The report charts the impact on workers in social services and how the crisis in care and the welfare state is deepening. It concludes with alternative policies and action strategies (36 pages).

  • Cleaning Up, Hawley Group plc, 1985

    A SCAT Publications expose of a ruthless cleaning contractor that launched Mediclean Ltd in 1982 to bid for NHS contracts. Victorian values – Victorian wages summed up their approach, led by one Michael Ashcroft, later Lord Ashcroft and a former Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party (8 pages).

  • Housing Management Compulsory Competitive Tendering in London, 1996

    Examines the pattern of bidding by private contractors and housing associations and the award of contracts to manage council housing in London Boroughs. Assesses pricing information and average tender unit costs. Commissioned by Greater London UNISON (18 pages).

  • Demolishing the Myths: Housing and Jobs in South Tyneside, 1980

    Commissioned by South Shields Trades Council, this report examines the relationship between housing policy and industrial policies and employment in an area of industrial decline and change. It is a critical analysis of attempting to expand the private housing market through the sale of council housing and land to attract industrial investment (48 pages).

  • New Initiatives to Improve & Expand Jobs and Services in Darlington, Shop Stewards Committee & SCAT

    Results of a Improving Jobs and Services Survey of the Employment and Public Services Department, Darlington Borough Council, that examined job control and satisfaction, ideas for improving services and links between workers and service users, and health and safety issues. The Shop Stewards Committee were involved in the design of the survey and held a series of meetings to discuss the results, recommendations, prepare the report and took the photos (1986 -  28 pages).

  • High and Dry: A unique action guide based on successful campaigns by tenants against damp and defects, 1984

    Four tenants associations from Hull, Sheffield, Nottingham and Leeds formed an alliance, the Yorkshire Development Tenants Action Group that succeeded in getting 1,900 damp and defective flats demolished. This report describes how it was done, the mistakes and the lessons learnt (48 pages).

    Investigating Your Building System

    A 12-page guide to gathering information about the building system used for your estate - addressed mainly for tenants in systems housing.

  • Privatisation Audit: Public Cost of Private Contractors, 1985

    Produced for Sheffield City Council and details the potential impact of outsourcing on local authority jobs in the city, the effect on the local economy and accelerate changes in the labour market. Quantifies public sector costs and national implications (64 pages).

  • Homes: New Crisis Looms, 1981

    An overview of a looming housing crisis – house building back to the 1920s, rocketing rents, increased subsidies for private housing, improvement slows, repairs backlogs rise. Makes the case why housing is important for the labour movement and provides examples of local organising and action (4 pages).

    London’s Homes – The Fight Is On, 1981 – Proposes radical alternatives in response to London’s housing crisis as conditions worsen, jobs are lost, rents rise and council housing is sold. Suggests various ways for increased tenant and trade union cooperation. For NUPE London regions (4 pages).

  • Privatisation briefings

    BIG Business is after your job, 1982, explains the threat of privatisation, what it means for jobs, services and users, and developing strategies, for NUPE London Division (4 pages).

    Social Services for Sale, 1984, shoes how children, the elderly and disabled bear the brunt of cuts and privatisation, the effects of rate capping and cashing in on care, NUPE London and East Midlands (4 pages). 50,000 copies were distributed nationally.

  • Project to Defend and Improve Local Authority Services and Jobs, Sheffield City Council, 1985/86

    We’re Coming Out from under the carpet: Job Satisfaction Cleaners & Caretakers – the results of a job satisfaction survey of school cleaners and caretakers – more quality training, better communications between management and staff, improved equipment and cleaning materials and 35% said women were discriminated against in promotion opportunities (16 pages).

    Fight Rate Capping, Privatisation and Cuts: Job Satisfaction Survey Parks & Recreation – the results of a job satisfaction survey in the city council’s Parks and Recreation Department, 73% of frontline workers and 80% of administrative staff wanted more control over their work, greater involvement and better training (16 pages).

    Contract on Cleansing briefing – the value of public cleaning, examples of private contractors fines and failures, cleansing job losses in outsourced contracts and the impact on wages and conditions (4 pages).

  • The Great Sales Robbery: the sale of Council Housing, 1976 and 1980 Editions

    Details asset stripping of the public sector, explains why council housing is important, who's demanding the sale of council housing, why sales are disastrous, alternatives to sales and action strategies. Published in 1980 and supported by 50 national, regional and city-wide tenants organisations, trade unions and other organisations, this is an expanded version of the first edition published in 1976, which sold 8,000 copies. Correctly predicted the development of sales and the housing and financial consequences (28 pages).

  • Up Against a Brickwall: The dead-end in housing policy, National Union of Public Employees and Services to Community Action & Trade Unions, February, 1978

    Since the election of the Labour Government in February 1974, the struggle to achieve decent housing for all sections of the community has suffered a number of major setbacks. First, by October 1977 the Government had cut an estimated £1,250m from the housing programme. Second, under the guise of ‘rationalisation’, the Government has introduced tough measures to curb the degree of autonomy of local councils over the size and scope of their housing programmes. Third, there have been major moves to expand the private housing market at the expense of council housing. This pamphlet is designed to illustrate the housing crisis facing working people and describes the impact of the crisis on working class areas. It is intended to be a major contribution to the debate now taking place throughout Britain on the Government’s housing green paper (60 pages).