The contracting conundrum

摘要

The dawning realisation that public service contracting has had its day can only grow after 3 May. As new councillors settle in and town halls change political colour, they will further question the shibboleths of the post-1980 era of 'new public management' - especially the belief that outsourcing major services out to companies is necessarily cheaper. Some of outsourcing's staunchest advocates will be swept from power.