Social services sell-off claim denied by chiefs
COUNCIL bosses have rejected claims they are planning to sell adult social services for up to £100 million.
They say they have instead been testing the market to see what kind of interest exists to set up a social enterprise for the sector.
A notice has been placed on the website Sell2Wales for the last week in a bid to gauge response — and drawing fierce criticism.
According to Nick Tregoning, council member for social services, the research will help towards forming a business case for the social enterprise, which is designed to provide a service or business that benefits local people, and where any profit is reinvested into the community it serves.
It will also ensure the legal requirements on the authority are met.
Mr Tregoning underlined that had the authority been looking to completely outsource adult services, it would have been obliged to place the notice in the public domain for substantially longer than a week.
He said: "If we had been doing a tender for adult services, we would not have just left the notice up there for a week."
He has spoken out after a number of Labour politicians claimed the services were up for sale and no consultation had been undertaken at all.
Swansea West AM Andrew Davies said: "The mass privatisation of adult social services has not been debated at all. What authority do the Liberal Democrats have to sell-off this essential service?"
Meanwhile, Swansea Labour leader David Phillips accused Mr Tregoning of keeping the plans "secret" and Labour MP Geraint Davies suggested the local authority was "looking to make a quick buck".
But Mr Tregoning hit back at the claims and said the scheme for a social enterprise had been discussed by the council's cabinet and such schemes had Assembly backing.
He also emphasised the authority had been in discussion with staff on the matter.
Mr Tregoning added: "The social enterprise will give us three benefits — better service being offered to clients, better value for money and a good working environment for staff."
If the social enterprise scheme does go ahead, it will not be introduced for 12 to 15 months and staff will be employed on the same conditions as they are now, according to the council chief.
elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk
5 Comments
by Harriet, Swansea
Tuesday, November 16 2010, 11:08PM
“You can always tell when a Lib Dem is lying THEIR LIPS ARE MOVING.
I rest my case..”
by Paul Lloyd, Winch Wen
Tuesday, November 16 2010, 8:21PM
“The Lib-Dem /Independent run Swansea Council are carrying out Tory Party policy for them- privatisation of all services. can't they see that privatisation doesn't work? Just look at public transport since it was privatised, it's a shambles. Holley's Wallies are wrecking Swansea & must be stopped. We have to vote them out in the 2012 council elections.”
by geoff, Westcross
Tuesday, November 16 2010, 7:11PM
“Few more years and britain will have nothing left to sell,the different councils around the country have sold most of their land,the governments have sold the great asset's this country used to be proud of,OH, and the gold reserves which can never be replaced. the country is being sold off in chunks,with no end to it!!”
by Valley Boy, Swansea
Tuesday, November 16 2010, 2:35PM
“So Nick Tregoning says that the Council is testing the market to see what kind of interest exists to set up a social enterprise for the sector.
Strange that the wording of the notice is:
"This is a full outsource of all adult social care provision"
Nothing about 'market testing' at all on the notice.”
by Matt, Swansea
Tuesday, November 16 2010, 10:13AM
“Can we believe anything that Lib Dems have to say - especially one named "Nick"?”