Union bosses have hit out at Swansea Council chiefs after they ditched an IT firm from delivering an all-singing, all-dancing customer service call centre.
Jeff Baker, Unison branch secretary for Swansea, said the decision to pull the plug on Capgemini vindicated council IT staff who walked out in one of Wales's longest public-sector strikes.
Staff were unhappy at proposals to transfer their jobs from Swansea Council to the private IT firm.However, the news that Capgemini will not be involved with the second phase of the scheme to supply a customer call centre could mean jobs are at risk.
Mr Baker said: "Our opposition to this project has been completely vindicated by this decision. What we have been saying since 2004 is that such a large and complicated scheme would not work.
"We are concerned that there must have been millions of pounds spent on consultations with Capgemini.
"The project was designed to replace outdated IT systems and to give people in Swansea a state-of-the-art call centre and a one-stop contact shop in County Hall.
Council leaders have confirmed the call centre work has been put on hold.
Council leader Chris Holley said: "There are significant budget pressures this year and we must cut our cloth according to what we can afford.
"That applies to eGovernment as much as it applies to all the other services we provide."
The deal was pushed through by former chief executive Tim Thorogood and signed off by Bob Carter, another senior manager who has since left the council.
Labour group leader David Phillips says he wants answers.
He said: "I will be asking for both Bob Carter and Tim Thorogood to come back to the council to explain why this has gone wrong so quickly.
"Phase one was supposed to generate £18 million of savings to pay for phase two but they can't even make it break even.
"It was obvious 12 months ago this over-ambitious programme was in trouble. Why has it taken so long to act?
"Just two weeks ago the council was briefing the press claiming everything was on target.
"If that was so, why has it now been cancelled? It's the council taxpayers who are having to fund this incompetence."
Tuesday, 9 January 2007
Monday, 8 January 2007
AM's pledge for healthy New Year
A Swansea AM has vowed to give up using her car whenever possible and walk more instead.Val Lloyd, AM for Swansea East, is urging others to make similar healthy new year's resolutions.
"The key to making new year's resolutions a success is not to make too many and to make them as achievable as possible," she said.
"This year, I will endeavour to walk to more places instead of taking the car. That way, I can get regular gentle exercise, and do my bit for the environment at the same time.
"If each of us makes a commitment to try and change something to benefit our health, we can all contribute to a healthy Wales in 2007."
"The key to making new year's resolutions a success is not to make too many and to make them as achievable as possible," she said.
"This year, I will endeavour to walk to more places instead of taking the car. That way, I can get regular gentle exercise, and do my bit for the environment at the same time.
"If each of us makes a commitment to try and change something to benefit our health, we can all contribute to a healthy Wales in 2007."
Saturday, 6 January 2007
Pool will open this year, Authority bosses vow
Swansea Leisure Centre will be open by the end of this year, council leaders have vowed.
Authority bosses have promised to have the centre open to the public by December - a month earlier than predicted.Work on the project began in July 2005, 18 months after the centre's shock closure.
Fitting out of the building began last year and civic leaders say it is on schedule for a 2007 opening.
Council leader Chris Holley said: "The pool is taking shape and should be completed within months. The rest of the work is going well."I have always said the centre will be open by December and this is still the case."
Contractors are about to start working on adding a huge pod to the leisure centre roof. The futuristic-looking addition will house part of the centre's gym and will have sweeping views across Swansea Bay.
The centre will also include a children's play area, dance studios and a sports hall which will double as a conference facility.
However, the main attraction will be the pool and water rides.Phil Davies, the man in charge of the project, said: "The leisure centre as a water park is something unique for this area. I do not think there is anything comparable in the South West region."It will be a quality product and will have regional and national appeal."
The centre closed unexpectedly in November 2004 following a report into the state of the building.
The Labour administration, which was in charge of the city at the time, decided to close the centre rather than pay a £14 million repair bill. But plans for a completely new centre were dropped by the current coalition administration which decided to rebuild the old leisure centre instead.
Although there are no firm details about the cost of using the centre, council leaders say it will not be prohibitive.
Gym membership is likely to be on a monthly basis and deputy council leader Gerald Clement said other prices will be fair."We realise we cannot price people out of it," he added. "It has got to be competitive, but we also realise that it will be the best facility of its kind in Wales."
Authority bosses have promised to have the centre open to the public by December - a month earlier than predicted.Work on the project began in July 2005, 18 months after the centre's shock closure.
Fitting out of the building began last year and civic leaders say it is on schedule for a 2007 opening.
Council leader Chris Holley said: "The pool is taking shape and should be completed within months. The rest of the work is going well."I have always said the centre will be open by December and this is still the case."
Contractors are about to start working on adding a huge pod to the leisure centre roof. The futuristic-looking addition will house part of the centre's gym and will have sweeping views across Swansea Bay.
The centre will also include a children's play area, dance studios and a sports hall which will double as a conference facility.
However, the main attraction will be the pool and water rides.Phil Davies, the man in charge of the project, said: "The leisure centre as a water park is something unique for this area. I do not think there is anything comparable in the South West region."It will be a quality product and will have regional and national appeal."
The centre closed unexpectedly in November 2004 following a report into the state of the building.
The Labour administration, which was in charge of the city at the time, decided to close the centre rather than pay a £14 million repair bill. But plans for a completely new centre were dropped by the current coalition administration which decided to rebuild the old leisure centre instead.
Although there are no firm details about the cost of using the centre, council leaders say it will not be prohibitive.
Gym membership is likely to be on a monthly basis and deputy council leader Gerald Clement said other prices will be fair."We realise we cannot price people out of it," he added. "It has got to be competitive, but we also realise that it will be the best facility of its kind in Wales."
Right time to pull the plug
Swansea Council is right to quit while it's still (just) ahead.Its ambitious attempt to update the authority's computer systems and transfer some jobs into the hands of a private firm has staggered from one controversy to another.
Since the start, the scheme has been dogged by dispute, disbelief and dismay:
Firstly, council IT staff walked out in one of the longest running public sector strikes to hit Wales over authority plans to transfer jobs to private IT firm Capgemini.
Secondly, the cost of the two-phase scheme rocketed, from £100 million to £170 million.
Finally, estimated savings from the project were scaled back from around £50 million to £26 million, with only £7.4 million of those savings identified as achievable.
Hopefully lessons have been learned and pushing ahead with phase two - with any partner - should now be reviewed.
Pressing the pause button heralds a common sense approach from County Hall and its new chief executive, and is in marked contrast to his predecessor's head-in-the-clouds attitude to local government.
Since the start, the scheme has been dogged by dispute, disbelief and dismay:
Firstly, council IT staff walked out in one of the longest running public sector strikes to hit Wales over authority plans to transfer jobs to private IT firm Capgemini.
Secondly, the cost of the two-phase scheme rocketed, from £100 million to £170 million.
Finally, estimated savings from the project were scaled back from around £50 million to £26 million, with only £7.4 million of those savings identified as achievable.
Hopefully lessons have been learned and pushing ahead with phase two - with any partner - should now be reviewed.
Pressing the pause button heralds a common sense approach from County Hall and its new chief executive, and is in marked contrast to his predecessor's head-in-the-clouds attitude to local government.
Council's big hi-tech dream hits buffers with pull-out
The company brought in to deliver a hi-tech solution for the council to communicate with its customers has been scrapped from the project's second phase.
IT firm Capgemini which helped deliver the first phase of the project has been told its services for phase two are no longer required.
The massive project was designed to replace outdated computer systems and give residents a state-of-the art call centre.
The first phase to replace IT equipment was signed 12 months ago and is worth £86 million to Swansea-based IT firm Capgemini.
However, spiralling costs for the project have put the customer service element in doubt. An out of hours call-centre has been put on hold.
Council Leader Chris Holley said: "Continuing reviews of our option to sign up to a Capgemini-managed phase two have shown there is not a solution that is acceptable to the council.
"That is why it is being recommended we don't proceed with this specific deal."
That is a complete U-turn on comments made two years ago, when the councillor in charge of the project, Mary Jones, described the decision to use the firm as "probably the most significant and exciting decision this council will take for many years".
The scheme has been mired in controversy. Council IT staff walked out in one of the longest-running public sector strikes to hit Wales over plans to transfer jobs to Capgemini.
The cost of the scheme has ballooned, from around £100 million to £170 million for phases one and two.
Estimated savings from the project have also been scaled back from between £30 and £50 million to £26 million. So far only £7.4 million of those savings have been identified as achievable.
Former chief executive Tim Thorogood, who helped push through the project, left Swansea Council before any deal could be signed because of a planning row at his Rhossili home.
The second phase, known as Service @ Swansea was designed to bring massive improvements to services.
Residents were told they would get an out-of-hours call centre and a one-stop shop where they could get all their council inquiries answered in one go.
The customer contact centre will open in County Hall later this year, but plans for the call centre are on hold in what Councillor Holley has described as "a sensible and prudent decision".
When the scheme was being sold to residents Councillor Jones said: "It will mean they can call a corporate call centre and speak to a highly trained member of staff. They'll be able to resolve any number of inquiries on the spot - from housing benefit to booking a sports facility, or paying council tax."
They'll do this by using a new world-class computer system that links all relevant customer information, helping to resolve 80 per cent of all inquiries during the first call."
Labour group leader David Phillips said the scheme had grown out of hand.
"This has been on the cards for ages. From the time the eGovernment was split into phases it has been unworkable.
"This is something that should have been done a lot earlier - how much time and money has been spent on trying to make the unworkable work?
"This also raises a very big question mark about phase two."We have spent millions of pounds of council taxpayers' money, ostensibly to improve the service they get when dealing with the council, but have not improved one thing. It also raises serious questions about the Civic Centre project and whether a one-stop shop will work if we do not have the software in place."
IT firm Capgemini which helped deliver the first phase of the project has been told its services for phase two are no longer required.
The massive project was designed to replace outdated computer systems and give residents a state-of-the art call centre.
The first phase to replace IT equipment was signed 12 months ago and is worth £86 million to Swansea-based IT firm Capgemini.
However, spiralling costs for the project have put the customer service element in doubt. An out of hours call-centre has been put on hold.
Council Leader Chris Holley said: "Continuing reviews of our option to sign up to a Capgemini-managed phase two have shown there is not a solution that is acceptable to the council.
"That is why it is being recommended we don't proceed with this specific deal."
That is a complete U-turn on comments made two years ago, when the councillor in charge of the project, Mary Jones, described the decision to use the firm as "probably the most significant and exciting decision this council will take for many years".
The scheme has been mired in controversy. Council IT staff walked out in one of the longest-running public sector strikes to hit Wales over plans to transfer jobs to Capgemini.
The cost of the scheme has ballooned, from around £100 million to £170 million for phases one and two.
Estimated savings from the project have also been scaled back from between £30 and £50 million to £26 million. So far only £7.4 million of those savings have been identified as achievable.
Former chief executive Tim Thorogood, who helped push through the project, left Swansea Council before any deal could be signed because of a planning row at his Rhossili home.
The second phase, known as Service @ Swansea was designed to bring massive improvements to services.
Residents were told they would get an out-of-hours call centre and a one-stop shop where they could get all their council inquiries answered in one go.
The customer contact centre will open in County Hall later this year, but plans for the call centre are on hold in what Councillor Holley has described as "a sensible and prudent decision".
When the scheme was being sold to residents Councillor Jones said: "It will mean they can call a corporate call centre and speak to a highly trained member of staff. They'll be able to resolve any number of inquiries on the spot - from housing benefit to booking a sports facility, or paying council tax."
They'll do this by using a new world-class computer system that links all relevant customer information, helping to resolve 80 per cent of all inquiries during the first call."
Labour group leader David Phillips said the scheme had grown out of hand.
"This has been on the cards for ages. From the time the eGovernment was split into phases it has been unworkable.
"This is something that should have been done a lot earlier - how much time and money has been spent on trying to make the unworkable work?
"This also raises a very big question mark about phase two."We have spent millions of pounds of council taxpayers' money, ostensibly to improve the service they get when dealing with the council, but have not improved one thing. It also raises serious questions about the Civic Centre project and whether a one-stop shop will work if we do not have the software in place."
Friday, 5 January 2007
AMs split over council homes transfer move
Swansea's Assembly members are split over whether 14,000 council houses in the county should be taken out of council control.
Of six AMs in the region, Plaid's Dai Lloyd and Labour's Val Lloyd are against the proposal. Swansea West AM Andrew Davies did not reply to a question from the Post, but the region's other AMs have all backed the plan.
Council tenants are expected to be given a chance to vote on the future of their homes this year.It could see Swansea Council hand over 14,000 council houses to a non- profit making mutual company called Tawe Housing.
The mutual, which would include council tenants as board members, would be able to raise £190 million more than the council for repairs and improvements.
However, many tenants fear the move would lead to increased rents and a lack of social housing for future generations.
Dr Lloyd said it was the responsibility of government to provide adequate social housing."I am against stock transfer. I believe housing should remain in public ownership," he said.
"Good housing equals good health, and conversely bad housing equals bad health.
"I believe housing is the proper pursuit of government and democratic control, and not subject to the whims of the market."
Councils across Wales have been told they need to improve the quality of social housing to meet Assembly standards.
The total cost of meeting the standard in Swansea is around £370 million but the council would be able to raise only £176 million.
AM Peter Black, who is also a member of Swansea Council's ruling group, said he fully supported the move to transfer homes.
He said: "If we are going to replace defective windows and doors, install central heating in all properties, make houses waterproof and install modern bathrooms and kitchens, the only option is stock transfer.
"Tenants in Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Monmouth have already voted for this option for precisely this reason. Swansea tenants should not miss out."
Gower AM Edwina Hart is Assembly Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration. She will be directly involved with the process after tenants have voted and so could not comment specifically.
However, she said: "The Assembly Government has a clear policy objective that landlords should provide tenants with homes to a standard that is appropriate for the 21st Century.
"We require all councils and housing associations to achieve the Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2012."
Swansea's Labour AM Val Lloyd said she would prefer an option that would allow the council to raise the money itself.
She said: "I am not a supporter of stock transfer and am in favour of the fourth option, which the Assembly Government and the trades unions also back."
South Wales West Conservative AM Alun Cairns said standards needed to be raised. He added: "Stock transfer can hold the key to empowering local communities, investing in local small businesses and increasing quality of life in low-income housing."
Of six AMs in the region, Plaid's Dai Lloyd and Labour's Val Lloyd are against the proposal. Swansea West AM Andrew Davies did not reply to a question from the Post, but the region's other AMs have all backed the plan.
Council tenants are expected to be given a chance to vote on the future of their homes this year.It could see Swansea Council hand over 14,000 council houses to a non- profit making mutual company called Tawe Housing.
The mutual, which would include council tenants as board members, would be able to raise £190 million more than the council for repairs and improvements.
However, many tenants fear the move would lead to increased rents and a lack of social housing for future generations.
Dr Lloyd said it was the responsibility of government to provide adequate social housing."I am against stock transfer. I believe housing should remain in public ownership," he said.
"Good housing equals good health, and conversely bad housing equals bad health.
"I believe housing is the proper pursuit of government and democratic control, and not subject to the whims of the market."
Councils across Wales have been told they need to improve the quality of social housing to meet Assembly standards.
The total cost of meeting the standard in Swansea is around £370 million but the council would be able to raise only £176 million.
AM Peter Black, who is also a member of Swansea Council's ruling group, said he fully supported the move to transfer homes.
He said: "If we are going to replace defective windows and doors, install central heating in all properties, make houses waterproof and install modern bathrooms and kitchens, the only option is stock transfer.
"Tenants in Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Monmouth have already voted for this option for precisely this reason. Swansea tenants should not miss out."
Gower AM Edwina Hart is Assembly Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration. She will be directly involved with the process after tenants have voted and so could not comment specifically.
However, she said: "The Assembly Government has a clear policy objective that landlords should provide tenants with homes to a standard that is appropriate for the 21st Century.
"We require all councils and housing associations to achieve the Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2012."
Swansea's Labour AM Val Lloyd said she would prefer an option that would allow the council to raise the money itself.
She said: "I am not a supporter of stock transfer and am in favour of the fourth option, which the Assembly Government and the trades unions also back."
South Wales West Conservative AM Alun Cairns said standards needed to be raised. He added: "Stock transfer can hold the key to empowering local communities, investing in local small businesses and increasing quality of life in low-income housing."
Thursday, 4 January 2007
£1M waste as hospital patients block beds
A massive £1 million is being wasted in Swansea's hospitals because of the high cost of people blocking beds, new figures have revealed.Health chiefs say the situation has got worse over the past couple of months because of problems finding care home places for elderly patients.
Figures show 85 patients were delayed from leaving the city's hospitals and a total of 43 cases were social care-related.
Bed-blocking is the scenario in which people are stuck in a hospital bed because there is nowhere else for them to go for care.
A total of 3,866 bed days was lost because of the problem, which set Swansea NHS Trust back around £1.1 million.
Finance bosses have revealed one lost bed day costs around £300.The high number of delayed transfers of care has also hit the number of routine operations being carried out.
Finance director David Roberts said the trust was counting the cost of the financial burden deriving from the number of delayed transfer of care cases.
He said: "A lost bed day costs around £300 per day. There were 3,866 lost bed days which cost around £1 million."Findings show the problem is Wales-wide. There are now 754 patients waiting to leave a Welsh hospital bed - a rise of 9.6 per cent in the last year.
Janet Williams, acting director of operations, at Swansea NHS Trust, said the situation around bed-blocking would be monitored.
She said: "Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in the past two months of delayed transfers of care. Delays in social care packages and administrative delays have caused the problems.
"Delayed transfers of care is worrying and something we are paying attention to.
"Patients who have different needs we would move to a community hospital if that is suitable for the patient."
Figures show 85 patients were delayed from leaving the city's hospitals and a total of 43 cases were social care-related.
Bed-blocking is the scenario in which people are stuck in a hospital bed because there is nowhere else for them to go for care.
A total of 3,866 bed days was lost because of the problem, which set Swansea NHS Trust back around £1.1 million.
Finance bosses have revealed one lost bed day costs around £300.The high number of delayed transfers of care has also hit the number of routine operations being carried out.
Finance director David Roberts said the trust was counting the cost of the financial burden deriving from the number of delayed transfer of care cases.
He said: "A lost bed day costs around £300 per day. There were 3,866 lost bed days which cost around £1 million."Findings show the problem is Wales-wide. There are now 754 patients waiting to leave a Welsh hospital bed - a rise of 9.6 per cent in the last year.
Janet Williams, acting director of operations, at Swansea NHS Trust, said the situation around bed-blocking would be monitored.
She said: "Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in the past two months of delayed transfers of care. Delays in social care packages and administrative delays have caused the problems.
"Delayed transfers of care is worrying and something we are paying attention to.
"Patients who have different needs we would move to a community hospital if that is suitable for the patient."
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