The role of business
Businesses of all types and sizes are interested in effective public services for three main reasons:
Businesses use public services:
They need schools and colleges that educate people for life and the world of work. Employees need to get to work on time using public transport or the road system. People need access to effective healthcare to stay fit and well, and support from welfare services when circumstances change. Communities want protection from crime and their town centres kept clean. Businesses need an effective local transport infrastructure.
Businesses fund public services:
Many services are funded through the taxes all business and employees pay, whatever their size or job role. With the Government seeking to reduce the public spending deficit, it is important our public services use this public money, which we all contribute effectively and seek to reduce costs while maintaining the standards we expect in our public services.
Businesses provide public services:
Private companies - and increasingly, businesses run by or in partnership with voluntary sector bodies and social enterprises - operate many public services. Many have introduced new ways of financing and operating them to improve the quality of the service the public receives while delivering better value for the taxpayer. They are making a significant contribution to transforming our services and boosting growth in the UK economy.
The Julius Review of July 2008, for example, found that the independent providers running public services add more than £45bn to the UK economy each year and employ over 1.2 million people.
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