tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22202011.post5887433212029645451..comments2023-12-11T08:49:46.305+00:00Comments on Dizzy Thinks: The cost of consultancy on British Policing?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22202011.post-46345544446601433862008-06-04T13:20:00.000+01:002008-06-04T13:20:00.000+01:00"Help I'm being burgled/mugged/robbed/raped!" *"Ho..."Help I'm being burgled/mugged/robbed/raped!" *<BR/><BR/>"Hold on a moment. I'll put you though to our call centre where you can make an appointment for one of our consultants to contact you"<BR/><BR/>*delete as appropriateDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00448711775318691029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22202011.post-28971524044238111962008-06-04T11:54:00.000+01:002008-06-04T11:54:00.000+01:00Most of the government's consultancy is IT consult...Most of the government's consultancy is IT consultancy (like ID cards, but that programme hasn't got into the serious money-spending phase yet) which the Civil Service is incapable of doing on its own. And yes, there is a degree to which politicians like to outsource blame.<BR/><BR/>I reckon most of the Home Office spend would have been on the Courts Service IT overhaul and e-borders. These are things that (if the processes went wrong and illegal immigrants were let in and then committed a crime, but were accidentally released on bail) people woud demand were done to make sure our Courts and Borders are improved. 5000 coppers won't help you there.<BR/><BR/>I agree that Government overspends on Consultancy - either improve the permanent Civil Service, or outsource entirely the delivery of goods and services (which would work out cheaper in the long-haul) under a senior Civil Service panel. It is the hybrid and duplication tht is costing the money.<BR/><BR/>I agree that the Police should have got their pay award, but I don't think that you can say it was because the government spent money on e-borders. They had the cash (see 2.7 in C&N) they just didn't want to give it to the Police.<BR/><BR/>Dizzy's time-honoured suggestion of a Dept for Governmental IT, funded entirely by recharges to other depts, with a Sec of State overseeing an IT-qualified civil service team and all IT consultancy under its roof, is the best way that we can get value for money (Obama has said he will have a CTO in his administration).<BR/><BR/>That's the problem - not absolute spend (though that could be lower too), but the poor value we get from government/civil service/consultancy because of the ill co-ordinated approach that has always been taken to large expensive projects.<BR/><BR/>MAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22202011.post-77207999336767162702008-06-04T11:38:00.000+01:002008-06-04T11:38:00.000+01:00Here's the plan. Sack the consultants and use the ...Here's the plan. Sack the consultants and use the money to add 5,000 proper coppers to the anti-terrorist squad. That should cut down the time needed to build a case and eliminate the need for 42 days' detention without charge. Or is that too easy?Prodicushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18024865482933469271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22202011.post-55603191878581193822008-06-04T11:11:00.000+01:002008-06-04T11:11:00.000+01:00Just a wild guess - was something like half of tha...Just a wild guess - was something like half of that spent on ID card projects?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22202011.post-10219038143143079982008-06-04T10:26:00.000+01:002008-06-04T10:26:00.000+01:00why the need for so many 'consultants', incompeten...why the need for so many 'consultants', incompetence among permanent staff or the need to absolve yourself from decision making and covering your arse?haddockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01890864334999930139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22202011.post-88994600139792753062008-06-04T09:50:00.000+01:002008-06-04T09:50:00.000+01:00How many extra police officers could you employ fo...How many extra police officers could you employ for that money? Get rid of PCSOs, pay police what they deserve and get more police on the streets.Letters From A Toryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14612766550608940053noreply@blogger.com