The major UK political news story of last week came from chancellor Philip Hammond. In delivering his first Autumn Statement to Parliament, Mr Hammond has now revealed the course for UK public spending for the months ahead. With the Brexit vote casting a fiscal shadow over the UK, balancing the books has become a much harder task. But what does this mean for public sector organisations – not least those who face the ongoing tightening of day-to-day budgets?
As Gareth Davies, a partner at law firm Mazars LLP, points out: “Finance directors in the UK’s public service organisations were not expecting the chancellor to offer significant relief from the austerity-driven spending reductions of recent years.” There were few surprises from the Autumn Statement in that sense, but lingering headaches for finance directors. Not least for those trying to fund much-needed upgrades of canteen, catering or food preparation equipment.
Autumn Statement: 'Spreading the Jam Far Too Thinly'?
For both the public and private sector, there was much to digest after the Autumn Statement. A plan to cut corporation tax and a rise in the National Living Wage, for example, will impact retailers and hospitality operators. As PwC’s Nick Jones says, however, Mr Hammond offers “little change to the spending settlement for public services, with the pressure to do better for less remaining at the top of the agenda for public officials”.
UNISON, the public service trade union, is critical of that ongoing “pressure to do better for less”. General secretary Dave Prentis accuses the UK government of “spreading the jam far too thinly”. And this approach, as he explains, hurts health, education and local council services. As officials strive to uphold the quality of front line services, it becomes a case of priorities. And it’s no surprise if canteen or kitchen equipment isn’t high on that list.
The rise in food and energy prices will do nothing but raise the cost concerns. Not only that, but demand for such services is also growing. The funding, however, isn’t growing in line with this. As far as your catering facilities are concerned, it might feel there are just two options: either make-do-and-mend with the equipment you have, or divert resources from the front line to cover the upgrade costs. Neither are appetising choices.
A Third Way: Our Public Sector Equipment Solutions
And yet, what if there was a third way? It’s not wishful thinking either, not with our public sector equipment solutions. As you uphold the standard of service you provide to students, patients or service users, we’ll empower you to uphold the standard of your catering too. It’s an area in which you can achieve superb returns – without draining your minimal budget. We deliver our out-of-the-box fridge rental solutions at no up-front capital cost.
Not only that, but we also take care of all your maintenance needs too. It's part of your all-inclusive rental deal – so there are NO hidden charges and NO nasty shocks along the way.
The benefits of this, we think, are two-fold. First, our approach frees up more of your cash. And this means you can make the most of what spending power you have, no matter how limited it may be. Second, you get the latest equipment for a fraction of the cost. Yes, it’s that simple. You can replace tired equipment with our state-of-the-art units and instantly drive up standards in your canteen or kitchen. It can work for schools, hospitals and more!
The UK faces uncertain times ahead – and the Autumn Statement reflects that fact. The public purse will get tighter and there is no sign of relief for the foreseeable future. It’s why we’re committed to innovative public sector catering equipment solutions. We’ll help you make the most of your funding, tailoring all deals to suit your needs and capabilities. Meanwhile, we’ll take on the cost, maintenance and fleet management too – and that means we will reduce the strain as best we can for you.
Related: Find out more about our public sector equipment solutions
