tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post1549511687292663445..comments2024-03-29T06:40:58.606+00:00Comments on On Probation Blog: A Remarkable InitiativeJim Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-78854322581558888742018-06-25T22:52:20.342+01:002018-06-25T22:52:20.342+01:00Ian L has been spouting off more crap but here is ...Ian L has been spouting off more crap but here is another gem of his foolhardy approach <br /><br />"to seek to work with all political parties to find a way out of the TR shambles. It will also require us to firm up on our thinking over the summer Parliamentary recess so that we are in a good position to seek the input into the MoJ review that has been asked for by the JSC." There is no guarantee the MOJ will review anything and no chance they want to hear from him. Besides I would not want him loos helping that lot he is broke for talent. The Job is to defend members rights not collude for an honour award by helping the government. No we don't pay for you do what you want either is anyone managing this cowboy? Back to the election then I doubt Rolfe could win and given his misleading ignorance of the terms of the GS terms and then backtracking is such a major disaster in an election campaign. Next take don't take advice from M Mouse. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-28105030633892800702018-06-25T21:16:00.325+01:002018-06-25T21:16:00.325+01:00Reverting back to GS elections I note back in May ...Reverting back to GS elections I note back in May this year Ian Lawrence's email was ilawrence@napo.org.uk.It's now gensec@napo.org.uk. Is this semi-Freudian attempts to confirm to us his "real" identity or what's known as clutching at straws? Have certainly heard more from him over this election period via blogs than usual. That suggests anxiety to me. I hope the anxiety is justified in a yes vote for Mike but this could be seeing life through rose coloured spectacles as MR has certainly had a restricted platform to reach members and member response to GS elections is typically low. I also noted Il has sprouted a WhatsApp contact. Certainly wanting to feel contactable but does anyone use it I wonder... do speak up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-57967443312696146632018-06-25T21:09:37.493+01:002018-06-25T21:09:37.493+01:00Legal reforms to ensure that public service contra...Legal reforms to ensure that public service contracts go to organisations creating 'social value’ rather than simply to the lowest bidder were promised today in the government’s response to a series of outsourcing fiascoes. <br /><br />In a widely trailed speech to thinktank Reform, Minister for the Cabinet Office David Lidington said he would strengthen the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 in order to rebuild trust after the colklapse of construction giant Carillion earlier this year. At present, the act requires central government bodies planning to procure services from a private contractor to 'consider’ how procurement could improve the area’s 'social, economic and environmental well-being’. In future it will require all major procurements to evaluate social value.<br /><br />The changes will create a more level playing field for mutuals, cooperatives and social enterprises bidding to win government contracts, Lidington said, saying the aim is to create a ‘diverse, vibrant marketplace of different suppliers’. The Ministry of Justice is one of several Whitehall departments to have come under fire for drawing up contracts in such a way that only established large businesses can meet the terms. <br /><br />Lidington also promised to develop proposals for the government’s biggest suppliers to publish data and provide action plans for how they plan to address 'key social issues and disparities - such as ethnic minority representation, gender pay, and what they are doing to tackle the scourge of modern slavery’.<br /><br />Key suppliers will also have to draw up ‘living wills’ to enable contingency plans to be rapidly put into place if needed.Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-30564590528396318072018-06-25T21:07:03.682+01:002018-06-25T21:07:03.682+01:00A prison outsourcing giant has paid back the gover...A prison outsourcing giant has paid back the government more than £4million in damages for its performance since 2010.<br /><br />Serco handed the huge sum to the Ministry of Justice after failing to meet standards dozens of times.<br /><br />The firm holds £3.6billion worth of lucrative contracts with the taxpayer-funded MOJ - including PFI deals and the Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS).<br /><br />But Serco was issued 37 ‘performance improvement notices’ on its PECS contract since April 2010 - and paid back £3.16million in “financial remedies” over the same contract.<br /><br />Serco paid a further £1.01million related to its prison contracts, and £3,240 in relation to Hassockfield Secure Training Centre, which shut in 2014.<br /><br />Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon, who obtained the figures, said: “Once again we see how the failed model of privatisation and outsourcing is undermining the quality of our justice system.<br /><br />“Labour is determined to put an end to our justice system being run in the interest of private profit.”<br /><br />Justice minister Rory Stewart confirmed the payments, also called “liquidated damages”, all related to a “failure to meet contractual performance obligations”.<br /><br />Despite the payments Mr Stewart insisted: “We manage all of our contracts with Serco robustly and deal with any performance issues in accordance with the mechanisms of the contracts.<br /><br />“Overall our Serco contracts perform well and the performance management mechanisms in our contracts are effective in addressing any performance concerns.”<br /><br />The figures show Serco paid the MOJ a total of £193,000 damages in 2010/11, £361,000 in 2011/12 and £249,000 in 2012/13.<br /><br />Since then the total has risen each year to £612,000 in 2013/14, £644,000 in 2014/15, £890,000 in 2015/16 and £955,000 in 2016/17 - the most recent year for which complete figures were available.<br /><br />Despite the rise, a Serco spokesman said: “As the Minister said, Serco contracts are performing well and the issues referred to are several years old.”<br /><br />The spokesman added: “Today, our prisons and custodial services are some of the best rated in the country and provide good value for money for the taxpayer.”<br /><br />Serco was also issued a notice over “performance concerns” in HMP Doncaster in 2015, but it was removed in July 2017 after improvements.<br /><br />The figures emerged days after Tory MP Edward Argar, who was Serco’s Head of UK and Europe Public Affars until 2014, was appointed a justice minister.<br /><br />Mr Burgon added: “While the private sector plays such a major role, the public must have confidence that Ministers can hold these huge corporations to account.<br /><br />“That it why the government must urgently clarify if the new Justice Minister will play any role overseeing Serco’s justice contracts, given he once held a senior post there.”<br /><br />MOJ sources previously insisted the department would benefit from Mr Argar’s experience, and stressed: “There is no conflict of interest”.Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-77534778019942009582018-06-25T19:26:43.521+01:002018-06-25T19:26:43.521+01:00https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/law/government-to-rew...https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/law/government-to-reward-contractors-for-social-value-/5066623.articleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-19204992689767872692018-06-25T17:27:24.956+01:002018-06-25T17:27:24.956+01:00I know it's not what you're saying but I g...I know it's not what you're saying but I give those released on Life Licence and from long sentences my mobile number. Have never had a dodgy or ill timed call yet but plenty when they needed reassurance or info sharing(linked to anxiety; issues vary from to do with Licence/accom/ bank accounts/relationships etcetc) Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-49934181249159282752018-06-25T15:42:26.689+01:002018-06-25T15:42:26.689+01:00https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/prison-gian...https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/prison-giant-serco-hands-4million-12782567Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-11659537763161704342018-06-25T15:14:53.440+01:002018-06-25T15:14:53.440+01:00Boo-fucking-hoo, Mr Grandson-of-Churchill-never-ha...Boo-fucking-hoo, Mr Grandson-of-Churchill-never-had-to-struggle Soames. What about those who have had to face loss of liberty, loss of accommodation, loss of employment, LOSS OF LIFE & other assorted tragedies as a direct consequence of franchising (aka handing over) public services including probation to money-orientated asset-stripping bullies like Serco, Capita, Interserve, etc.<br /><br />Prick!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-2415969274763086512018-06-25T14:21:02.464+01:002018-06-25T14:21:02.464+01:00From The Financial Times: -
Jonathan Ford yester...From The Financial Times: -<br /><br /><br />Jonathan Ford yesterday <br /><br /><br />"You know it’s a worrying time in your industry when the boss of one of the biggest companies draws explicit parallels between current events and what happened to the banks in 2008. Last week, Rupert Soames did just that, bemoaning the share-price collapse that has swept through the outsourcing sector — hitting companies that provide contracted services, often to public bodies. “Not long ago, Capita’s share price was over £10; it is now £1.50; Serco, now £1 was not long ago over £3; Interserve used to trade at over £6, and is now around 70p,” the chief executive of Serco said. The falls, he observed, had affected all the main outsourcing companies, wiping nearly £10bn from their collective market capitalisation. “These are destructions of a sector’s value not seen since the global financial crisis,” Mr Soames added."<br /><br />Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2018. All rights reserved. <br /><br />https://www.ft.com/content/2230edd0-7797-11e8-8e67-1e1a0846c475Andrew_S_Hattonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09115192522317353139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-39580024989211837962018-06-25T10:42:24.094+01:002018-06-25T10:42:24.094+01:00Suicide is a terrible thing, and any initiative to...Suicide is a terrible thing, and any initiative to prevent it happening must be championed.<br />Suicide somehow seems much worse when carried out by someone who's locked in a grotty cell and all alone.<br />The Listeners scheme deserves credit for its achievements, and I feel it must also afford a huge sense of self worth to those that volunteer to be Listeners whilst serving their own sentences. <br />But todays blog reminds me of a report published last year on the shocking numbers of people who commit suicide while subject to probation supervision.<br />However stressful or frightening people may find imprisonment, it must be just as terrifying for some when faced with release back into a world where there's no access to services, no housing, and £46 for a platform to build the rest of your life on.<br />I just wonder if there's not some similar initiative to the Listeners scheme that probation services could provide?<br />I know you can contact Samarathians, but you can do that from prison too.<br /><br />https://www.google.com/amp/s/theconversation.com/amp/how-to-help-offenders-on-probation-who-are-at-high-risk-of-suicide-83069#ampshare=http://theconversation.com/how-to-help-offenders-on-probation-who-are-at-high-risk-of-suicide-83069<br /><br />'Getafix Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com