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Notts unveils plan to "market test" trading services, puts all other services under review

Nottinghamshire County Council has unveiled plans to “market test” a range of trading services over the next year to see if the private sector can provide better value for money.

But the local authority has also said that “all other services are being reviewed as part of the ongoing work of the council”.

The initiative is expected principally to affect Nottinghamshire’s trading services, and its cleaning, catering, landscaping and building and highways services.

The council, which employs 3,000 people and spends around £60 a year on trading services, said it needs to find £120m to either save or reinvest in services over the next four years.

Corporate Director Tim Malynn said: “Like every other council in the country we’re facing massive financial pressures and we must now look seriously at who is best placed to provide some services and how they can best be delivered in the future.

“We will be investigating if the private sector could potentially provide better value for money for our tax payers.”

Malynn acknowledged that the plans could cause anxiety amongst employees, but he said their jobs would be protected under TUPE.

He added: “This is the first stage in reviewing our services. No decisions will be made until the market testing process has been completed and considered.”

The areas being put forward for market testing are:

  • Building design services
  • Building direct (repairs, maintenance on council buildings)
  • Schools catering
  • Cleaning services
  • Catering and facilities management at County Hall
  • Catering and facilities management at Sherwood Forest and Rufford country parks and the National Water Sports Centre
  • County Enterprise Food
  • Highways design
  • Highways operations
  • Fleet services
  • Landscape maintenance.

The review will, however, look at all areas and is intended to identify opportunities to make savings, either by stopping or reducing services, getting another organisation to provide them or generating more income.