MSE News: Average council tax bill in England...

Danday

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

So why doesn't everyone copy it?

I am glad we have it and in no way want to scrap it, but it is a very inefficient and expensive service and needs to be completely overhauled in an attempt to to be more efficient and cost-effective.

I do wonder why the NHS procurement division doesn't put more effort into getting best value. My sister used to head up that department in the trust based in the North West. When I asked her that question a few years ago all she could tell me is that the prices for the consumables is dictated by the supplier!!!
Much like some county councils that have in house works & purposes, they just pay out what they are told to pay out and never actually cost it against what could be the price if they negotiated with outside contractors. The government service used to do this, If you wanted a light bulb changing it would take weeks to get a crew to come along from the Public Buildings & Works dept. 5 would turn up, one was the driver, one to get the ladder from the van, him and another to hold the ladder, one to go up the ladder and to make sure it is safe then another, who had to be a fully qualified electrician to remove the old bulb and replace it with a new one.

I have seen contracts that councils have entered into that if it was given for a domestic situation, the householder would have refused it. I have seen one were a self closer on a door had to be replaced. Labour alone was £352 for two men for one hour.