Community Choice, Cost and Control (2)

Looking to our market town to manage things on commercial lines but with a Public Service ethic offers a logical route to maximise local control and minimise cost. Nevertheless, some key questions remain.

What will it cost the Town to provide services and what will it cost the Parishes to buy them?

The cost of providing services varies according to who is providing them and how. Gillingham Town Council has engaged professional help to get reliable cost information to use in negotiations and in establishing the lowest achievable 'cost to do'.

The number of customers for the service determines the unit cost to buy, so the broader the customer base, the lower the cost to each customer.

What is the organisation required to deliver the service and how does that work?

The Town Council believes it already has the capacity to manage service provision but may need more people out on the front line. The desired services can be delivered in a number of ways, directly by the Town Council or perhaps via Charitable Trusts with funding support.

It is a case of choosing whichever option makes the most sense, enjoys the most support, and delivers the most efficient output.