Bristol is a tribal city divided and lacking direction. Maybe it has been so for decades, maybe it is true of other cities too, I know none as well as my own. London is described as a collection of villages, Bristol sometimes behaves like a collection of inward looking hamlets. Politics here has become poisoned and the blame culture is rife.
For the last 15 years or so this not necessarily been a huge problem. There has been plenty of money in private, public and voluntary sectors sloshing around, allowing organisations to stumble on without too much difficulty.
Now things are different. The coalition’s cuts and plans to destroy the public sector are real and immediate. It is not only the City Council but a wide range of organisations which are not filling posts and commencing procedures to make people redundant. While protest is important, indeed essential, it is not likely to have any immediate impact on a Government set strongly on its course.
We need a radical rethink of the way services are organised and delivered if we are to protect them. The salami slicing of services across a wide range of organisations is not the solution.
Now is the time for Bristol to come together. We need to combine as many of the public sector organisations as possible in a collective reorganising of services sharing management, back office services and looking for joint delivery wherever possible. Some councils have looked at sharing Chief Executives. In my opinion Bristol should not look to further weaken its already parlous Governance. Far better to have joint Chief Executives with organisations based within the City, say the local hospital trust UBHT. Lets share senior managers and their costs across Bristol organisations.
We can look at shared IT, personnel, facilities management, accountancy, legal support and estate management. Jointly using buildings to reduce premises costs. Also look at whether services can be integrated. The City Council runs libraries (currently at the forefront of deskilling services) but so does the university and the City of Bristol college maybe these can be jointly managed. I am sure there are many other examples too. The voluntary sector should also be invited to participate in this knitting together of a unified public service sector.
Services delivered at the local level should be built around the needs of local people in consultation with them. We need to find more imaginative ways of doing this than the current model of neighbourhood committees which cover too large an area, are too bureaucratic and have little real power.
The opportunity for a greater Bristol built on partnership and joint working is possible and offers part of the alternative to watching our services decay and collapse.
What’s the relationship between introducing South West One style management techniques and reducing inequality and division? I can’t see one.
Inequality is a political and economic issue. Management consultancy techniques will be marginal in resolving it.
This crisis seems to suggest corporate management and governance, generally, is inadequate. Why will more of it help?
Bristol Blogger
I am suggesting a number of things here:
1) that because we have seperate services we have too many senior managers and that by combining management we can reduce costs from the top down
2) That services are poorly coordinated through a large number of partnership bodies and meetings – joint management will reduce the talking shop nature of partnership and make it active
3) That coordination will increase efficency of services
4) That combining organisations can lead to a better use of expensive support costs such as buildings for example
5) That combining services within Bristol strengthens local accountability wheras the alternative proposal of combining them beyond boundaries disipates accountability
6) That Bristol needs a stronger sense of common purpose in the delivery of public services
I’ve always had strong feelings about this but working in the public sector I see the main problem is that the people who decide on these issues are often managers themselves and Turkeys are not going to vote for Christmas.
When working in the private sector there was three levels of management between my post and that of the head of the company. It wasn’t even as if my post was a high level one in that.
Now working in the public sector I can’t even count how many levels of management there are between my post and that of the chef executive. Even in my own department it’s made up of 15% management.
Within the private sector managerial responsibly is often included within the job description of many employees where as it does seem in the public sector this is micro managed from middle managers.
Do we actually need all these managers in the first place?
Just merging services will probably effect ordinary staff more than managers. Managers will probably just be moved around whereas ordinary staff will be laid off.
It maybe that some departments like admin and legal can be merged but can a IT department of the City of Bristol college handle the data requirements of say a radiotherapy unit or can the estate management of Bristol University look after a operating theatre?
As for the involvement of the voluntary sector isn’t this just Tory policy of the Big Society or as its known, do it yourself government can’t be can be arsed?
This process would need strong leadership and it only works if we reduce the number of people at a senior level ‘managing services’ how many chief execs do we need in Bristol’s public sector, or finance directors or HR directors etc. If we don’t tackle the top of the management team we just end up with lots of managers writing reports about how to cut the number of care workers and other low paid front line staff.
Your ‘divide and conquer’ approach displays a dire lack of imagination.
Paul makes some good points but misses the real issues. I’m not saying what those are (because I’d kiss any leverage or value bye-bye) but your world weary cynicism is even more off base. Not to put too fine a point on it both are why Bristol is and will remain a royal fuck up.
I can’t see much hope for Labour’s campaign nor Bristol as long as people keep digging in that direction.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Yes, but there’s only a small number of chief execs in Bristol’s public sector. When the Greater Bristol trust is formed there will probably be one less.
Whereas the number of middle managers between director level and non managerial level is massive. It’s these managers who often sit around all days in meetings or working out how to squeeze the last penny or cut the number of front line staff.
In the Private sector it went through a stage of what was called staff empowerment, this often involved self managed teams and often resulted in the abolishing of middle management posts. Now this was not implemented in the public sector and I feel that it should be.
I’m unconvinced that putting Jan Ormomdroyd in charge of the NHS and the voluntary sector is the way forward Paul. Is hospital radiotherpay really lacking in ‘place marketing’ and ‘image management’?
Much of what you propose is economies of scale, which are considerably discredited. One of the characteristics of contemporary IT is that – with the right staff – it’s possible to get highly tailored solutions (usually off-the-shelf and very cheap). Hence radiotherapy can have the exact IT they need as can UoB Estates Management. The idea there’s a one-size-fits-all IT solution out there that can brought off KPMG/Capita/IBM etc. is the route to madness.
You are correct that there’s too many managers. Before any grand vision is implemented why not get rid of them? Bristol City Council is full of pointless generalists with no idea. Hence we’ve first had a copper and now a housing manager in charge of marketing and communication and we now have an accountant (Will Godfrey) running the legal side of the Ashton Vale Town Green (badly I might add). What value can these non-experts possibly bring? Get rid. It would probably improve things.
What you haven’t addressed is the biggest problem, which is the problem of management and governance (in the private sector that’s exec and non-exec and in the public it’s exec and elected members). Basically all the power, control and knowledge lies with the execs at present. Why not let politicians employ their own execs? That would create instant loyalty and accountability and mean we could sack the bastards through the ballot box.
“I’m unconvinced that putting Jan Ormomdroyd in charge of the NHS and the voluntary sector is the way forward Paul”
nor am I
Your attempts to paint a picture of destruction so that you can build afresh does Bristols inhabitants a diservice.
You also seem to have a rose-tinted view of what tribal life really is.
“You also seem to have a rose-tinted view of what tribal life really is.”
Not sure I understand you, what do you mean?
This article touches on some interesting bullet points but completely misses what’s important. And, no. I’m not saying what that is. They’re arguably more important and without them his ideas for reorganisation are a wasted effort. It will just fail or won’t sell. In fact, prioritising reorganisation misses the point entirely.
Surely those highly paid council managers and party apparatchiks should be onto it? If not shouldn’t the “unemployable” just hand something over to a political party or the council for free? They’re so great and people like me are just useless, right? Well, no. And I’m not saying a thing unless I’m getting anything out of it.
You’re all going to fuck it up anyway. You always do. Nobody is gagging to give me a job or even join a political party. They’d rather gloriously fail than give an atom of a chance to anyone else or share in an atom of the glory. Because it’s all about them. And that’s Bristol down to the bottom of its boots.
And can the person posting as ‘c’ stop or pick another name. This one’s taken if you haven’t noticed.
I had some other comment about Ed Miliband and Labour’s campaign after doing a round-trip but it’s subtle stuff and I got bored of commenting on it. The news is a bit dead today so in a fit of boredom looked at Williams blog.
It’s interesting seeing Stephen William’s bang on about homophobic bullying and loving art. I’ve noticed he doesn’t give a damn for people suffering at the sharp end and is very unimaginative. Dare I call him a daydreaming hypocrite?
One of the reasons why Valerie Davey lost her seat to Williams is he was very quick to slide the knife in and egg on the wave anti-war wave. I also caught him lying in his election material although he later denied it when I challenged him on this.
The man is clearly a whiny incompetent so how come Labour haven’t just failed to dent him but allowed him to grow an 11,000 majority? More shocking is how Labour have ceased to be meaningful in Ashley Ward. I eat people like that for breakfast so what’s the problem for Labour?
I was also thinking of the possibility of an Executive Mayor again today and the fact it would be a miracle if I ever achieved that ambition. Given Labour’s record name one person who you think would do better than me. That’s a serious challenge.
At the end of the day the electorate vote for who they want to believe ans against those they are tired of.
In 2005 a large number of people voted for Williams in protest over Iraq and tuition fees, to be honest they voted for Charles Kennedy in the main.
In 2010 people were not prepared to listen to Labour – they were sick of us and wanted a change. In Bristol West they bought the idea that the lib dems were the only alternative to labour here and many still thought they were a party of the left. Actually the Labour vote held up in Bristol West better than the other local seats but there was a large surge in votes for the lib dems – all those focus leaflets do make a difference. Oh yes and I am crap 🙂
Paul
I have to disagree with you.
You aren’t crap.
Misguided maybe.
Labour could’ve held Bristol West under Valerie Davey but she made two keys mistakes I advised against. My impression is most people wanted to keep her as an MP but she made it hard while Williams seized his chance and played to the gallery.
Labour blew it nationally. Some of those reasons where Labours own fault. The rest weren’t fair but the Tories and media weren’t thinking of fair. I spotted a long time back and commented that the Liberals were trouble. You should’ve attacked the traitor Clegg before the election.
The way I imagine this playing out is Labour have to get it right at the top which they’re not yet doing. The traitor Clegg and his supporters are the target to go for and there’s precedent that suggests this is correct. He has to be taken down by his own side or they’re stuffed electorally. Nothing short of a bloody and very public coup will save them.
There’s other strategies Labour should be preparing as well to secure victory at the next election and beyond. Again, I have a very good idea what those are and how Labour can cement that so it doesn’t unravel. It’s not pretty for someone but if you want to win you do what has to be done.
Digging deeper into that cretins blog…
Football stadium topic: not an ounce of strategic vision.
Labour leadership topic: whiny and over-sensitive.
C’mon. Williams is a pushover. He reveals his weakest hand with every flap of his jaw. He paints his internal world on a canvas that a blind man can read and shows up what his real affiliations are. I could spend all day picking over this and devising strategies and counter strategies. And I’ve done it in far rougher environments than politics.
I read Steve Richards today. I normally agree with him but this last time I reckon he’s wrong. Here’s a freebie: my judgement is Cameron has no real policy focus at the moment and is caught up in maintaining party discipline. So why aren’t Labour driving an eye-catching policy battering ram home? Why aren’t they pulling up the detail of where his hasn’t a clue? Why aren’t they fanning the flames that get him bitchy?
Don’t tell me this won’t work or the timing is wrong because I know different. I’ve done it. It works. And Labour should be pile driving his ass into the ground now. So hurry the fuck up, okay?
Christ, Mandelson talks shit. You had that fucking nob as a media man when the Tories had Hilton and Coulson? Sweet Jesus.
To be honest I can hardly bear to read it, I was beaten by at best a second rate second hand car salesman backed up by a group of obsessives.
I don’t agree with you on Cameron I think he really believes all this Big Society guff and that the poor can be pushed into obedience
You’re misunderstanding what I’m saying. I’m not talking about what these dougnuts believe or feel about other people. I’m talking about their inner core. That’s the bit you need to reach into and snap.
I’ve done an end of day scan of Labour, the media, and CONDEM blather and policy releases. You failed to take the right stance for yourselves in a turned up but missed the target kind of way.
At a national and local level you’re not making the most of opportunities and lining up to be screwed later because of these two things. It’s why you lost and why you’ll lose again.
Your topic really isn’t about the council. It’s about Labour. You lack leadership presence, don’t use your organisation well, and add little perceived value to the members or voters bottom line.
I have a plan, skills, and methods Labour lack. But why should I share them when I get fuck all out of it? I’m not cannon fodder or another idiots passport to power. I’m just not sure you folks get that.
Caught Ed Miliband talking more crap about welfare and dismissing speculation as mere “Westminister bubble”. Not saying he’s totally useless but there’s a lack of edge and he’s in grave danger of looking like he’s on the wrong team. Can’t support that and his dawdling like he expects just to bounce into power on the back of a peoples revolution is a bit shit.
Harriet Harman is opening her big fat gob on all the wrong things, Phil Woolas has been hung out to dry, and the unions are using the formulaic language of yesterday. If Labour are acting like that when the Tories sleepwalk into a bad week God help Labour when they get their heads out of their asses. You’re not fully in the game and lack a sense of urgency.
I could write the manifesto and campaign strategy myself over a wet week. Heck, most of it is already out there in my comments if you dig hard enough. It works. It’s road tested. The media love it. So why, oh, why are Labour so braindead? Why is their organisation to mediocre? Why are they so effing slow? Get your fucking asses into the fight and spray some blood around.
Ed Milliband was at a Tesco warehouse in the North – after coming out of paternity leave (doubtless thankful for welfare system). Little did he know there was a huge elephant lurking in the room that would suddenly manifest itself.
The workers said; “We all work our socks off here and just about manage to get by. But my neighbours do nothing. Two of the women have never worked a day in their lives, yet have plasma tvs, designer kids clothes, go on two holidays.. all from the benefits they get.”
Eddie looked perplexed and enquired; “Is that the general consensus around the table?” Many seem to know the answer to that but Labour’s leader doesn’t.
So, ask Labour’s Blair, Brown, Balls, Johnson, the right pair of Milibands, Blunkett, Johnson, Clarke, Harman, et al these questions:
Why are the coalition telling is there’s no money left?
Why were MP’s expenses allowed to run up to abusive levels?
Why was gold sold off cheaply?
Why was nothing put aside during the boom times?
Why wasn’t parliament reformed?
Gordon Brown admited to Paxman that he (and Jeff Randall as it happens) foresaw a stock and cash crisis back in 2006, also ask; Why wasn’t banking reformed?
International statistics demonstrate that a number in the UK are feigning a disability, so dont you want to know; How likely is it that 45% of the ‘unemployed’ 24-35 year olds have depression and can claim benefits?
Immigrants should claim asylum when and where they first set foot into Europe. Dont you want to ask; Why did Gordon Brown bow to France’s pressure to sign the UK up to EU immigration influx and their welfare & benefits?
EU ‘migrants’ are coming over to also take advantage, this bloated and exploited Welfare & Benefits system risks the destruction of the UK. Toynbee AGAIN defends the masses of women with kids in council houses, never ACTUALLY EVER intending to work. Where does it say “You have a kid and have a right to claim a HOUSE from the state”??? Accommodation of sorts like hostels or house-shares maybe, but not a house.
Next time you see one thank a Labour minister for ensuring that 70% of all new jobs went to non UK workers. But ask them; Why?
Dont you also want to know from Labour Why there has been an immigrant influx of 3.5% population and what figure they regard as unsustainable?
The UK is being exploited by people that are unlikely to lift a finger to defend the nation. Now, there’s so many legal cases, with solicitors all too willing to appeal and appeal… clogging up courts, costing taxpaers millions, and all for Human Rights that combat military dont get a sniff of. GAMU is an illegal immigrant. Her mum’s out shopping in her Rover 75, bags of stuff in her long dress. Not beng deported.
WORK HAS TO PAY:
Sweden – 2 years and no work = no benefits.
28% of adults do not work in this country. For whatever reason. Its not a funny joke.
Give ‘earning a wage’ more longevity than relying on benefits.
BLOATED welfare has to be rolled back. Make doing something for society more accessible, no matter what cards are dealt.
I increasingly support Dave, Nick and the coalition because I have had enough.
Thanks Labour.
@Polleetickle
Twitter.com
Ed Miliband launches a “two year review”. Are you fucking joking? Two bloody months. If you can’t create, polish, and ready for presentation a plan in two weeks you’re missing something.
This is a war and peoples lives are depending on the outcome (including mine). Falling bombs don’t hang in the sky and take a tea break while Labour is dithering. They’re falling now and Labour need to get into that now.
C ~ you are spot on.
Miliband is bereft of meaningful direction.
Why?
He only went for leadership after being persuaded and clearly isn’t a genuine frontline player.
The sooner Labour grasp the nettle the better UK gets balanced politics. ( of sorts, eh? ;-P )
I’m holding out for Service Pack 1.