London councils have a ‘sustained reliance’ on private firms as report shows £500m spend

Exclusive: Research prompts warning that authorities rely on companies to carry out basic functionsThe scale of the reliance of London councils on private consultancy and outsourcing firms is laid bare in a report that shows the local authorities paid them more than half a billion pounds last year.The report by the Autonomy Institute and the CADA Network has prompted warnings that councils have a “sustained reliance” on such companies to carry out basic functions. Continue reading...