Government Incentive?

Government Agencies, Local Government Bodies and central Government are still failing to pay trade invoices within the ten day timeframe pledged by Lord Mandelson in October 2008.

According to commercial credit reference agency Graydon UK, two thirds of SMEs are waiting more than thirty days for Government invoices to be settled.

Martin Williams, the Managing Director of Graydon queried how damaging the impact of this failure to pay has been in exacerbating the cash flow problems faced by small firms, and stated: 'These public sector bodies need to become more efficient at collecting monies owed and managing their debtors efficiently'.

Indeed they do - but it's unlikely to happen if Government employees lack the incentive (and/or the training) to make it happen. For the public good, Government must try harder to set its own house in order, educate its workforce, and make work more rewarding for public sector employees.