The Guardian: "Large-scale privatisation of local government proved to be political poison"

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"The outsourcing of individual council services to large private corporate companies such as Capita, Serco and BT has been common practice across local government for four decades. But the past two years have seen the emergence of a series of grandiose mega-schemes which aim to privatise most, if not all, of a council's services at a stroke.

"... Barnet, teetering on the brink of chaos after its chief executive quit two months before it votes on a huge £1bn plan to outsource almost all its services, could be next."

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The Guardian:
"Tory privatisation plans dealt blow in Cornwall"

"The project to part-privatise Cornwall Council services, including libraries, benefits and payroll, to either BT or CSC, the US IT services giant, is now in doubt after Alec Robertson, the Tory leader of the authority, was toppled by his fellow councillors. He faced a vote of no confidence at an extraordinary meeting in Truro which he lost 63 votes to 49.

"... The upheaval at Cornwall council, which is the county's biggest single employer, is the latest crisis for Conservative-controlled councils seeking to sell off public services. Earlier this month, the chief executive of the London borough of Barnet quit, casting into doubt the direction of his authority's radical 'easyCouncil' plan to reduce the town hall to a commissioning body."