State of the Market

[PCTNN]

Unfortunately, the new government is about to fire public sector contractors

About time! Waste of taxpayers money

[SussexSeagull]

About time! Waste of taxpayers money

Really? My last contract was a limited engagement with a Local Authority offering skills and experience they didn't have in house and it would have cost them more to employ a full time employee who would have probably had nothing to do once the project ended.

I agree it used to be overdone but there are genuine cases for consultants/contractors.

[PCTNN]

Really? My last contract was a limited engagement with a Local Authority offering skills and experience they didn't have in house and it would have cost them more to employ a full time employee who would have probably had nothing to do once the project ended.

I agree it used to be overdone but there are genuine cases for consultants/contractors.

Yes, really.

I had 3 contracts in the public sector in the last 5-6 years and I've never seen so much money wasted and so many inefficiencies. Both contractors and permies were to be blamed for.

In my last contract I worked in a team of 30-35 people, 70-75% of which were contractors; 4 years and 45 million quid later nothing was delivered, the programme was scrapped, contractors cut and permies redeployed in other departments. I was there 15 months and did probably 2 months worth of work.

So yeah, it's about time departments review what's being done and how, consolidate resources and get rid of some folks.

[PerfectStorm]

In my last contract I worked in a team of 30-35 people, 70-75% of which were contractors; 4 years and 45 million quid later nothing was delivered, the programme was scrapped, contractors cut and permies redeployed in other departments. I was there 15 months and did probably 2 months worth of work.

This. Anyone who says that the only solution to better public services is to raise taxes, hasn't looked behind the veil.

Your money is being peed away nearly as fast as it's going in.

We have entire industries based around taking large sums of money and shuffling them around, producing economy - the end result is a by-product, if it exists at all.

[TheDude]

2 year rule is pretty loose.

One chap I worked with moved team. Another one left and was hired back one month later. They changed his title. These were inside roles though.

Or some places they ignored it entirely, the "horse" bank had quite a few over 10 years back in the day. outside too!

As if by magic an exemption has been granted and I have been extended... until the end of August.

Not ideal but better than watching TV in my pants.

[WTFH]

Not ideal but better than watching TV in my pants.

Either you've got very big pants or a very small TV.

But here's a for the extension. (It's a ladyfinger banana, since you've only got a small extension)

[oliverson]

As if by magic an exemption has been granted and I have been extended... until the end of August.

Not ideal but better than watching TV in my pants.

Congrats!

[squarepeg]

About time! Waste of taxpayers money

Depends where and on what. One thing the Labour are wasting money on is the election campaign on YouTube, aka. "Rishi's Recession Explained" videos still being shown. Someone ought to tell Sir Keir that he won.

[SussexSeagull]

Yes, really.

I had 3 contracts in the public sector in the last 5-6 years and I've never seen so much money wasted and so many inefficiencies. Both contractors and permies were to be blamed for.

In my last contract I worked in a team of 30-35 people, 70-75% of which were contractors; 4 years and 45 million quid later nothing was delivered, the programme was scrapped, contractors cut and permies redeployed in other departments. I was there 15 months and did probably 2 months worth of work.

So yeah, it's about time departments review what's being done and how, consolidate resources and get rid of some folks.

I do have limited exposure to the public sector. The one contract I had with the a local authority only lasted four months, although both sides would have had it gone on longer if the money was there. Fair to say I wasn't overworked although that happens a lot in the private sector as well in the last few years and it was the highest rate I ever had but I would argue that is quite good use as they didn't have the expertise in house.

I agree some fairly massive IT projects in the public sector go over time and budget but that happens in the private sector as well, although the difference is how they are funded.

Contractors/Consultants have a place but it should be used where there is no in house knowledge with defined entry and exit points.

[SussexSeagull]

This. Anyone who says that the only solution to better public services is to raise taxes, hasn't looked behind the veil.

Your money is being peed away nearly as fast as it's going in.

We have entire industries based around taking large sums of money and shuffling them around, producing economy - the end result is a by-product, if it exists at all.

TBF the likes of Wes Streeting has said reform needs to come with any extra money to the NHS.

I do agree the large consultancies doe seem to have formed a racket.