A busy week ahead

A good deal of time at the moment is being taken up by preparations for the Budget Debate at the County Council, which takes place on Thursday.

In addition to speech writing and general preparation, we have been on the lookout for amendments from the opposition. These have to be tabled in good time, which rather spoils the fun.  There is nothing that livens a council meeting up more than the unexpected broadside of a meaty amendment from an articulate dissenter.  Sadly this cannot not happen at this particular meeting, although there will still be plenty of opportunity for active debate.

In addition to the budget, I have made time management next week more difficult because I have booked to go on a Local Government Association Course in Surrey on Tuesday and Wednesday. It is not the best timing, but I am keen to attend since the event is on the subject of commissioning of council services. 

There is always great excitement when the privatisation of NHS activities is discussed.   In fact, it has recently become clear that the extent of this privatisation is generally somewhat exaggerated, amounting to a very small single figure percentage of the Health Service’s overall work.  I think that local government is probably in the reverse situation.  Over recent years, as funding has become tighter and tighter, much more activity has been outsourced to the private and voluntary sectors than is generally realised.

At Suffolk County Council, some 65% of our non-schools budget, is now contracted out or commissioned.  This is a significant amount, and represents both challenges and opportunities.

This high level of commissioning is a relatively new phenomenon, and as a result we are still learning lessons about how best to manage this changed environment.  I am therefore much looking forward to the insights that next week’s course is likely to reveal.