SMALL HOLDING

This article describes some steps being taken by Berkshire County Council (BCC) and some other British local authorities in preparation for what could be a radical alteration of UK local government, now being considered by the UK Local Government Commission. Most engineers and planners at BCC will soon work for Babtie Public Services, the company resulting from the privatisation of BCC's highways and planning department. Of the 380 employed there in March 1993, 310 have been transferred to Babtie, about 50 have left, and about 20 are still employed by BCC as its new, ultra-slim client operation. Several years ago, the concept of 'the enabling authority' was proposed, where a small group of elected councillors meets once a year to award contracts, and massive local authority operations have been privatised. Although many local authorities have moved towards this concept, most municipal engineers have considered that their professional function, designing work and advising elected members, was a public sector function. County councils have been stimulated to consider their functions more carefully, because of the present review of their structure and because competitive tendering for professional services will soon be compulsory. Thus privatisation is seen as helping to preserve expert teams. Babtie will provide an example for other counties considering this approach, including Oxfordshire and Somerset.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03077683
• Corporate Authors:

  Thomas Telford Limited

  London,   United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • BISHOP, P
• Publication Date: 1993-4-22

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 20-1
• Serial:
  • NEW CIVIL ENGINEER: MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING SPECIAL
  • Publisher: Thomas Telford Limited
  • ISSN: 0307-7683

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Contracts; Local government agencies; Maintenance; Planning; Road construction; Tenders
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 137: Bid; 146: Contract; 192: Local authority; 3847: Maintenance; 143: Planning; 3665: Road construction; 137: Tender; 8119: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Maintenance and Preservation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00662448
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jul 28 1994 12:00AM