With debate in the sector very much live over the role and extent of commercial investments in councils' financial plans, many delegates to the round table hosted by The MJ and Public Sector Plc's Local Government Council Consortium, described encountering scepticism within their authorities. One said: 'There's a need for a culture change. Certain parties have changed and are anti-commercial. It takes time to change the culture of senior officers as well.' Another agreed: 'All councils have to be careful of political dogma - that shouldn't come into it, but unfortunately it does. We shouldn't be basing decisions on that.' But this is far from a uniform picture. Some authorities have embraced commercialism, mainly to counter financial pressures. 'This trend has been increasing over the years as funding has gone down,' noted one delegate. Another said: 'If we are not business-minded, services either cannot be provided or improved.' One participant revealed: 'Every service knows they have to wash their own faces or they will be outsourced. It's quite brutal. You either buy into the ethos and what we are about, or you work with another authority. We don't let politics get in the way of doing business - we do what's right for our residents.' It is not just among the officers and members where a culture change is under way, but in the electorate as well. One participant told the meeting: 'Since we got into that way of working - maximising the income we generate for a purpose - people have come around to it. When we demonstrate to people what we have done, and that we couldn't do it any other way, people are less afraid of it.' Another added: 'The message that has been portrayed to residents is to invest to save, rather than cut costs. It has been politically driven, to maintain services rather than relying on the revenue support grant.'
展开▼
