Oldham MBC has denied claims that its hesitation over a deal with HBS is due to the fall-out between the company and Bedfordshire CC. The council has delayed signing its strategic service delivery partnership contract with Unity Partnership, of which HBS is a key part, from October to December, for further ‘scrutiny’. But deputy chief executive, Mike Chambers, did admit the council would be looking at the ‘claims made against HBS’. Bedfordshire CC signed a 12-year contract with HBS in 2001, which was valued at £250m. But last year, the council paid HBS a ‘one-off sum’ of £6.75m for assets and services provided by the firm (The MJ, 15 September 2005). The contract included finance, HR, IT, highways, education, and the customer contact centre. In April 2005, a Centre for Public Services report commissioned by Unison recommended the partnership be scrapped for failing to deliver on quality improvements. Mr Chambers added that the intention was for a contract to be signed ‘later this year’.
