A study, released today, commissioned by London Councils, which represents local authorities in the capital, has further strengthened the Total Place cause.
London Councils commissioned the accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers to apply the Total Place technique to the whole of London and scrutinise spending on managing the health of people with long-term conditions, worklessness and the impact of antisocial youth.
A "complex web" of services is weakening public services, the report – seen by the Guardian – says. "Overcrowding of agencies can lead to confusion in delivery while different national goals often can conflict with each other," it concludes.
The study has revealed that the government spent £73.6bn on services in London last year, but the detailed analysis suggests approximately £11bn of that was wasted through duplication and inefficiency.
If the figures were repeated across the country £15 in every £100 spent on public services could be saved, more than enough to tackle the fiscal crisis and dramatically reduce public debt.
That £73.6bn figure equates to about £10,000 for every Londoner. The analysis calculates spending from local and national government as well as quangos.
Total Place is being led by the former permanent secretary Sir Michael Bichard. Initial findings from the pilots suggested it could save 1% of public spending. With government spending on public services at £500bn in the UK as a whole, it could save between £5bn and £50bn annually.
Labour has promised to halve the £178bn public deficit within four years, while the Conservatives said they would act even sooner. The Conservatives have said they will support the Total Place initiative if they win the election.
From Bubb's Blog
From Whitehall Watch
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