In message , Andy Hall writes
On 2006-12-15 21:45:44 +0000, John Beardmore said:
In message .com,
writes

Heh. Who will do that? Private entrepreneurs with a good deal more
business sense have no access into the market or the LA. In a freer
market everyone that thought they could solve the problem could try to
do so, and the succeeders would and take over from the failers.
But you dont want that. I do.
I've nothing against a little 'evolution in action', but I'd hate to
create short termist, hire and fire, 'quarterly profits' culture that
was focussed on minimal cost, minimal provision, and minimum
environmental standards.

So would I. It should be based on these principles:

- short, medium and long term recognising that if the short term isn't
done properly, there will be no long term

Good...


- staffing levels to match the level of business. This inevitably
means hiring people when business is good and letting them go when it's
not.

Or at least redeploying them.

Though again, this assumes that LAs are a business. Seems to me that
the number of bins needing to be emptied will be the same in good times
and bad, even if the volume of waste falls.


This is far better than carrying excess cost and putting the business
under. Again this is sonething that the public sector is not good at
doing because the customers are obliged to keep funding the inefficiency.

And again assumes that they are businesses that have a variable demand
on their services.

Do you think we need less government during an economic down turn ? If
so, why ?


- quarterly profits are important as are half year and annual ones.
The occasional shortfall is allowable, but continued failure should
result in change of management.

But while LAs should be efficient, they should not be about making a
profit.


- cost should always be minimised while keeping the level of service
that the customer is willing to buy.

Broadly.


This does not mean minimal provision or minimal environmental
standards.

Well, unfettered capitalism would probably opt to provide the thing that
providers can make most profit out of, and ignore the environment
utterly.

I am not aware of any significant environmental progress that has not
been driven by legislation. Are you ?


Customers should be able to buy the service appropriate to them and
for the best price.

In many situations, yes.


Cheers, J/.
--
John Beardmore