SIR – Contributions to the letters page consistently ask how this government is allowed to get away with incompetence, failure and double-dealing.
Similarly, how can it continue to retain expensive firms of consultants and place work constantly with companies who have failed to deliver via a private finance initiative arrangement, only to be rewarded with more PFI contracts and again failing to deliver at a cost of millions to the taxpayer?
They know that public agencies do not have the resources to pursue failing partners in the courts.
Penalty clauses are unenforcable and the taxpayer loses both ways.
PFI off-balance sheet arrangements, instead of the cheaper treasury loans which used to quite adequately fund new school and health builds, simply accumulate debt as is well understood even by their supporters – to say nothing of failure to deliver and breached contracts.
How Brown ever claimed to be a competent chancellor at the same time insisting PFI was value-formoney eludes me.
WENDY HANDS,
Upton upon Severn.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here