Friday, October 10, 2008
Reorganising the deckchairs
Just before my session at the Welsh Local Government Association Conference this morning Finance Minister, Andrew Davies joined a panel to talk about local councils working together. The last question to the Minister asked what would happen if local Councils do not work together sufficiently to achieve efficiencies expected by government. Would the Assembly Government initiate another reorganisation?
The Minister asserted categorically that no reorganisation of Welsh local government is planned this side of the 2011 Assembly elections. He then went on to list all the downsides of structural reorganisation, including cost, disruption and distracting the attention of staff and Councillors from delivering services.
It was very convincing. I wonder if he has given the same speech to the Health Minister, who is proposing to solve all the health service's woes by abolishing 22 Local Health Boards plus a number of Trusts and creating seven all purpose health trusts instead.
The Minister asserted categorically that no reorganisation of Welsh local government is planned this side of the 2011 Assembly elections. He then went on to list all the downsides of structural reorganisation, including cost, disruption and distracting the attention of staff and Councillors from delivering services.
It was very convincing. I wonder if he has given the same speech to the Health Minister, who is proposing to solve all the health service's woes by abolishing 22 Local Health Boards plus a number of Trusts and creating seven all purpose health trusts instead.
