Government Public bodies changes

[philjo]

Changes announced today affecting rail-related NDPBs:

http://www.number10.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010-10-14-Public-bodies-list-FINAL.pdf

BRB (Residuary) Ltd
No longer a Public Corporation - Abolish body and transfer functions to the Secretary of State for Transport. BRBR will be wound up once a programme of asset disposals is complete

Commission for Integrated Transport
No longer an NDPB - Abolish body and seek arrangement that delivers external analysis and strategic advice

Passenger Focus/Passengers' Council
Retain and substantially reform - Retain on grounds of performing a function which requires impartiality. Substantially reform to focus on core role of protecting passengers, while reducing cost to taxpayers

Railway Heritage Committee
No longer an NDPB - Abolish body and functions. No equivalent protection applies to the heritage items of any other transport sector

ORR, London and Continental Railways Ltd & DOR are to be retained as NDPBs.

 

[Invincibles]

I suppose that there will be a lot of upset about the last one because we all want to see railway heritage preserved.

However I sometimes wonder if a simple rule would be enough, one of each class of train, so many examples of each sign type, a certain amount of coaching stock etc. This does not then need a body to actually look at it, it can simply be an automatic requirement for leasing companies when they seek to dispose of trains.

Integrated transport is a very good idea, but does it really need a quango to look at it. Surely that can be a necessary part of any planning application for substantial changes to any transport network.

Passenger Focus seems to be being changed in a way that makes sense, though I will wait and see what exactly they mean.

I do not know what BRB does, but I assume it is something residual from British Rail?

 

[philjo]

BRB holds the assets from the former British Rail that were not transferred to Railtrack (now Network Rail) on behalf of the Government.

This is mainly land from closed sidings/stations/rail routes (including many bridges etc) & also includes the Waterloo International terminal.

 

[Bittern]

I didn't know there was a Railway Heritage Committee. Huh.

 

[Wyvern]

I didn't know there was a Railway Heritage Committee. Huh.

It also I believe is involved in protecting historic railway architecture.

 

[yorksrob]

I wonder how they'll dispose of all those bridges and viaducts? Hopefully not with dynamite

 

[djw1981]

It doesn;lt say that people won;t look afetr Railway Herritage, just not in the same way - may fall to local councils etc to safeguard togetehr with English Herritage, as dockyards etc are.

 

[tbtc]

Like a lot of Cameron's "bonfire" of QANGOs, it really means keeping the bulk of the work, but transferring it to other organisations. Not convinced it'll be any cheaper or better, but it gives some headlines about "unelected beaurocrats" for the tabloids...

 

[Old Timer]

Like a lot of Cameron's "bonfire" of QANGOs, it really means keeping the bulk of the work, but transferring it to other organisations. Not convinced it'll be any cheaper or better, but it gives some headlines about "unelected beaurocrats" for the tabloids...

What is the basis for this ?

 

[WatcherZero]

Even they themselves have stopped refering to it as a money saving excercise, the BBC estimates only 4% of the money from these Quangos is saving, the rest is simply paying a private company or a government department to do the work instead.

 

[jopsuk]

In some cases, "burning" the Quango will actually cost more, and even where savings can be made, they'll not be felt for 5-10 years thanks to the winding up costs. But they were hamstrung- the "Bonfire of The Quangos" was a prominent idealogical commitment, and the minister responsible a particular proponent.

 

[LE Greys]

I think I'd have expanded the RHC's remit to everything else and renamed it the Transport Heritage Committee. They could then have concerned themselves with what to do with BA's first 777 when they sell it, or disposal of an old ferry by CalMac, or perhaps what to do with old airport terminals, or maybe even the last Leyland Olympian in public service. Historic road bridges might count as well, but classic cars seem to be catered for well enough. However, it's probably not possible under the current circumstances. I think the RHC was originally the body that designated what would go into the NRM, and I suppose that the NRM themselves will have to step in.

 

[merlodlliw]

Like a lot of Cameron's "bonfire" of QANGOs, it really means keeping the bulk of the work, but transferring it to other organisations. Not convinced it'll be any cheaper or better, but it gives some headlines about "unelected beaurocrats" for the tabloids...

I know a couple of people who sit on a few quangos, some one day a quarter
rewards £5K plus exs, as for the ORR they are appointed by the the Minister,usually cronys meeting once a month, attendance plus expenses is a nice little earner to those already on a fat salary.
the ORR board like a lot other quangos, usually contain people with no knowledge of the subject, In Wales the quango bonfire started a few years ago under a Labour WAGovt 1st Minister Rhodri Morgan, in fairness to him the WDA/ELWA etc and a few more Welsh Quangos were a complete faceless & useless gravy train for crony's So its not just Cameron.

 

[WatcherZero]

Though theyve axed 200 quangoes we must remember they are planning to Introduce 20 new quangos in their first year alone, quangos arent dead yet.

 

[Oswyntail]

Sometimes, a QuANGO is the most efficient way of getting something managed - there is nothing inherently wrong in them. The chief problem has been that, particularly (but not exclusively) since 1997, they would be set up as a knee-jerk response, without looking at the context. It is as if there were a quango for boiling the kettle, another for putting the teabag in the mug and another for pouring the water. What I do like about the announcement is that it has not only given out what is to go and what is to stay, but WHY that action is considered. It is, IMHO, a very sensible approach to tidying up what had become a very messy set of areas.