COMMERCIALLY CONFDENTIAL
COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
CONTENTS THE SPREADSHEET AND INITIAL RESEARCH DESIGN OF THE BENCH A TASTER OF THE BENCH THE CREATION OF COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL OUR LOCATION LIVE FOOTAGE AT THE LOCATION ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY
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THE SPREADSHEET AND INITIAL RESEARCH Our starting point was a spreadsheet consisting of 718 PFI projects - one of the few publicly accessible pieces of information on PFI. Our aim was to look at ways of visualising and making this spreadsheet more known to the public. Initial research included looking at ways of privatising public places, such as, parks. We began by charging people to simply walk through Hyde Park, or to use a frisbee in Telegraph Hill Park. This then led onto the idea of installing a coin box to facilities such as swings and benches in parks. However, we thought it would be best to focus on one subject to privatise within a park.
After further experimentation, we looked at designing a mobile bench for parks that we would privatise. This would involve a contract that must be signed to be able to use the bench. We emailed several people for feedback, permission to specific sites and general tips. Below are some screenshots sent to people in charge of the Royal London Hospital in regards to gaining permission on site unfortunately due to health and safety reasons, we we asren’t allowed access. Also, information on on-going protests and talks going on around London to do with PFI.
COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
DESIGN OF THE BENCH The aim was to design a bench that feels well maintained and looked after, that people must pay to sit on. The steep prices would be according to how long one has sat on the bench for, as well as if they put any heavy items on it. We made a box to attach to the bench, containing the contract, as well as a post going through the middle of the bench containing a camera to capture all the action of the bench. We wanted the bench to be mobile, to allow us to move it to different locations. In order to do this, we attached temporary wheels to the bench.
COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
A TASTER OF THE CONTRACT 2.1. Charges and Costs: If the user wishes to dispute the payment, the user must pay anyway, then the issue will go to a formal dis-pute resolution procedure where, if successful, the user can claim their money back. Commercially Confidential’s bench instalment only holds a single paper copy. If the user asks to see the con-tract itself after signing, they must pay £4,500 to have Commercially Confidential print a new copy for them.The is requested by a Contract Request Form which takes 28 working days to arrive. The user will be charged per minute they spend using the bench. This time begins from when the user enters within a five metre radius of the bench and ends from when the user exits this five metre radius of the central location of the aforementioned bench. This is the labour only The breakdown is All charges combined: £ On cost @ 4.2% around £1.42p/h No of hours to cost £ (ie admin) On cost @ 4.2% £ Total £ Charges combined: £884.95
Varnish - £23.99 Laser cutting - £15 Painting - £3 Signage - £10 Maintenance - £106 Wheels - £13.99 Clipboard - £1 Printing of Contract - £4 Printing of business cards - £15 ID Cards - £10 Leaflets - £15 Web Design - £60 Bench charges: 1 hour @ £1.42 = £5.96 after 30 yrs 2 hours @ £2.84 = £11.93 after 30 yrs 3 hours @ £4.26 = £17.89 after 30 yrs 4 hours @ £5.68 = £23.86 after 30 yrs 5 hours @ £7.10 = £29.82 after 30 yrs 6 hours @ £8.52 = £35.78 after 30 yrs 7 hours @ £9.94 = £41.75 after 30 yrs 8 hours @ £11.36 = £47.71 after 30 yrs 9 hours @ £12.78 = £53.68 after 30 yrs 10 hours @ £14.20 = £59.64 after 30 yrs First three payments low with gradual increase liable to be paid after your professional and financial liabili-ties are no longer at risk in order to transfer risk to your children.
Cost breakdown:
Private wing seat available for private finance creditors.
Cost of bench - £48.99 Transport cost - £10.50 Uniform - £29.08 (£2.99x3 + 40px4 + 5.99x2 + £4x2) Labour - £519.40
We can guarantee our prices will undercut any public service cost for bench provision and use. We are able to alter Investment Appraisal, meaning we will always ensure a cheaper price by a maximum of 0.006%.
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THE CREATION OF COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL The creation of our PFI company, Commercially Confidential, it involved many factors: logo and identity design, uniform, promotional material such as business cards and leaflets, a contract and scripting. We wanted a official image to hoax people into believing we were a real company. Following a similar theme to other corporate companies like Skanska, we took inspiration from their image and corporate attitude. Focusing on the tip of the ice-berg; branding and script, so we were visibly authoritive and real. To get into character of the Financial Director, Ann Wyatt, we spoke to people who had prior business in companies and took their experience and translated it into a
stereotypical governmental member, taking inspiration from Jolyon Rubinstein, the TV personality. We designed a logo for Commercially Confidential, with inspiration taken from a figure we worked out from the spreadsheet: The PFI cost is 4.2 x the original cost (based on 80 of the PFI spreadsheet cases). As well as a logo for ‘The Bench Project’, which is simply a picnic bench, with a corner of it being in bold to represent the 4.2% figure. We were fascinated by how easy it is to create a convincing company by designing a fake facade. People were willing to give us money when we charged them for certain things in Hyde Park, purely because we were wearing high-vis jackets.
fu so
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full a4 image of someone in the uniform
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COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
Leaflet and business card (opposite - top) The contract (opposite - bottom) The logo (top - right) Business cards (middle - right) ID card (bottom - right)
COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
OUR LOCATION Initially, Ladywell Park in Lewisham, however we then moved onto new locations: outside Lewisham hospital and Deptford Green. We picked these locations as there is a lot going on with PFI in these areas for us to talk to the audience about. For example, Lewisham hospital. On Thursday, Ladywell fields wasnt good as it wasnt great weather so not many people. Peope looked agt the bench and walked away. Also on Thursday, we stopped at Lewisham hospital as it was busy and places to do secret filming, and incoprorated the hospital saying we were a subcontractor of their PFI scheme. On Saturday, Deptford green wasnt busy, even thoght it was the weekend. It was cold
and the only people that read it were families. We had different approaches in each location: Ladywell, we were only going to approach people that were about to sit down which didn’t work as no one sat down. We apparoached anyone that came to read it at Lewisham hospital, so it became more of a conversation piece, standing by the bench. Then at Deptford Green, we had a more forceful approach, where we were less illusive about the costs. We told them about the specific charges which got more of a reaction, as it gave them a gage of how much it would cost. The was more of a laughing reaction due to Ann’s more jargon approach.
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LIVE FOOTAGE AT THE LOCATION Scripting for Ladywell Park and Lewisham Hospital: AW: Hi, can I give you these leaflets? (hand over business card and leaflet) My name’s Ann Wyatt, I’m Financial Director of Commercially Confidential. This is the first of many benches we hope to put up around the area and I’m doing some market research today to see what people think of the bench. Can I ask you if you think you’ve had a good service for your money today? PC: My money? AW: Oh you haven’t paid? Well we ask our clients to agree to sign this contract before using the bench and agree to a financial payment scheme. I’m afraid if you haven’t signed the contract I will have to ask you to leave the premises. PC: Where is the money going to? AW: We are a private finance company charging for public activity so it is public money going to private finance
corporations. We are actually a sub company of the private finance company privatising Lewisham Hospital. Are you aware of the initiatives going on in the local area? PC: And what’s the use of that? AW: Well we argue that by introducing private finance schemes like this it eliminates the financial risk on the public sector. PC: Well how much does it cost? AW: (get out the contract) The payment scheme is all set out in this contract document, there’s a physical copy here for your reference if you wish to look into it. But we tend not to discuss financial issues in order to protect our creditors. What I can tell you is that when you sign the contract, you agree to a thirty year payment plan. The price of your stay today will be split into thirty annual payments, and that unitary charge will start off relatively small and then get gradually bigger each year.
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Scripting for Deptford Green: AW: Hi, I have these information leaflets (hand over business card and leaflet). My name’s Ann Wyatt, I’m Financial Director of Commercially Confidential. I am circulating around the area today to see how people feel about these privately owned public activity resources. We are currently charging £1.42 per minute to use this bench, as you have entered the premises (check watch) ... minutes ago, I will have to ask you to sign this contract agreeing to a 30 year payment scheme plan with gradually increased compound interest charges. You will eventually end up paying (use calculator) ... amount. If I could ask you to go online and sign the contract. PC: I don’t agree with this it’s ridiculous. AW: You do have the right to dispute this payment with me today, however, if you wish to do so, we ask you to pay an administration charge
for a payment dispute form this usually takes around 28 days to arrive. Failing this, I will have to ask you to vacate the premises and you can visit the website in the leaflet here (point out pfivspeople.org leaflet). PC: I don’t really want to use the bench today AW: I’m afraid as you’ve already entered within a 5 metre radius of the bench, you’ve been enjoying our beautiful facilities and I will have to charge you the relevant unitary charge. PC: Where does this money go? AW: The money goes back to Commercially confidentia to help fund and maintain our lesiur facilities. We argue that by using the private finance system it eliminates the risk to the public sector.
(AW: ANN WYATT) (PC: POTENTIAL CUSTOMER)
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Transcriptions for: Thursday 19th march interactions: Ladywell Fields No interactions. Waited for people to sit down before approaching which didn’t happen. People just came up to read the writing. One woman took a photo of the bench and walked past. THURSDAY 19TH MARCH INTERACTIONS: LEWISHAM HOSPITAL Instead of waiting for people to sit down we approached those coming up to read and inspect the bench as well. Became more of a discussion next to the bench discussing it as an artefact. Transcript 5: Man 1 sits on bench looking across road towards Lewisham Hospital. He has not read the writing or looked at the contract. Ann:
Hiya.
Man 1:
Hello.
Ann: My name’s Ann Wyatt I’m Financial Director of Commercially Confidential. I’m just doing some market research to see what your opinion is of the service. Man 1:
As in that you’ve put down a chair?
Ann: Yeh. Do you think you’ve had a good service for your money? Man 1: Well I appreciate it you know lady because you know when you are injured. You know. And you need somewhere to sit down for five minutes. Ann: Yeh. And do you feel like the price for it and the serviceMan 1: nothing.
-I don’t know what the price is or
Ann: Well actually to use our bench you have to sign the contract. Have you signed the contract? Man 1:
No.
Ann: Ah ok. Well I’m afraid I have to ask you to sign the contract. For the bench. Man 1: (Gets up.) Ah. I was only resting. Yeh. What does it say? Ann: So this is the contract. There’s a physical copy here. Man 1:
Oh right.
Ann: And. You go online and you sign and you agree to annual payment for the bench. Man 1:
Ok.
Ann: And they’re annual payments which increase. Um. Man 1: Well surely this is supposed to be like um beneficial to the injured and the poor innit? Ann: Well we argue that by paying for public serviceMan 1:
Right.
Ann: -It’s eliminating the risk to the public taxpayer and um. Money goes to Man 1:
Does it go to charity?
Ann: No it goes to. We’re a private finance company. So um. The money then goes to private companies for public services. Man 1: day?
Ok. Are you going to be here to-
Ann:
Yeh.
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Man 1: Well I’ve got an appointment and you know what I’ll do after that I’ll stop and have a chat. Ann:
Ok. Alright.
Man 1:
Yeh?
Ann:
Yeh that sounds good.
Man 1:
Ok?
Ann:
Thank you.
Man 1:
Well thank you guys anyway.
Ann:
Thank you for your time.
Man 1:
Ok then you take care yeh?
Ann:
You too.
Man 1 doesn’t come back. Saturday 21st march interactions Deptford green Transcript 2: Children lean their bikes on bench and climb on it. They lead Woman 2 towards bench. Ann approaches. Ann: Hello. Can i give you these leaflets? My name’s Ann Wyatt I’m Financial Director of Commercially Confidential. And. Um. We are currently charging £1.42 per minute to use this bench. And. Um. As you’ve been on the premises for 3 minutes now. I will have to ask you to agree to sign
the contract. Um to pay. It’s a thirty year contract that you agree to sign up to. Um. With annual payments. Woman 2: So. If you want to use the bench we have to pay £1? Ann: Er well it’s er after a 30 year um payment scheme. It’s all in the contract um which you can apply to see as well if you wish but after 3 minutes and 30 years it will end up costing you £17.82. Woman 2: (Laughs) I’m sorry that all sounds so funny to me (laughs.) Ann: We’re a private finance company called Commercially Confidential. Do you agree to sign the contract? Woman 2: (Laughs.) No. Ann: No? Well you can um dispute the payment if you wish um but you have to receive an administration charge for a payment dispute form and this usually takes 28 days to arrive. Woman 2: No. No i’m not. (Talks to child for a while.) Er. No. No Sorry I’m not signing. Ann: Oh. I will have to ask you to not use the bench. Woman 2: No problem at all. As you can see I haven’t actually used it. Ann:
Ok. Thank you. (Walks away.)
Woman 2 leads her children away from the bench.
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COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL
ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY Country Oak Picnic Bench. Case 2. 19th March 2015 Ladywell Park, High Street, Lewisham, London and Edward Street, London. A park being a free public space encourages social behaviour and also physical activity. Society appreciates recreational space as it is their space to claim and do what they will with it, considering park etiquette and closing times. It is easy to take the free space for granted. Once in awhile it is useful to remind ourselves of these basic values and reaffirm their essential worth. Another thing that can be taken unnoticed is the economic value of the park. The region of Ladywell Fields is approximate to a small row of shops and cafés with all the necessities. The park works as a pathway to the hospital and so we observed the motion of people there being a lot faster than other parks. We also witnessed undergoing construction for Skanska maintenance on the 19th of March. Playing the corporate roles given to each member of the team, we had conversation with the builders on site, who were quite convinced. The bench product was placed in the centre of the green space, before the bridge over the water. The space was scenic and pleasant. We agreed that this spot would be most popular due to the views and some seating down another path, yet you had to walk further to reach the seating in that area, in response to these seats, we had the bench closer to the main path – easy to reach and clear visibility. There was immediate reaction as a public member interacted with the bench. She was leaving the hospital and had her lunch on the bench after reading the instructions on the table top. The
bench was not in complete form at that moment in time, as the surveillance box was not in place. We noted that the surveillance box was intimidating later as it is a suspicious object in itself. Most attempting users would get to read the instructions informing them of the contract needing to be signed and the general consensus was to walk away after. The bench was in place for 2 hours and 26 minutes in the middle of Ladywell Fields and was not getting that much interaction from the public. The majority of people acted oblivious to the bench. At 13.20 hours, the bench relocated to the front of the Lewisham Hospital where there is a green space across the street. Here it was busier and there was a bus stop near by and also apartment blocks so people would be lingering longer and were more responsive when interacting with the bench. We had many patients react to the bench, and at times they would mention their reason for being ill or injured and expected sympathy from our character Ann Wyatt. There was a general bad acknowledgement toward the bench and contract. We agreed that the box was intimidating from the way people avoided the bench at times and our scripting was off and so keeping this in mind we reassessed and experimented with the bench at Deptford Green. When the bench was in full operation to be used in the Green, there was next to no interaction for the first couple of hours, none when we were further from the children’s playground. So initially the bench was moved closer to the playground however, families began to take notice of the bench and inspect it. The only people who actually sat on the bench however were children. Perhaps this is because
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the bench was so evidently different to other benches and also the children would not comprehend a binding contract. There is however an expectation overall that no matter what the bench looks like - it should be free. People we spoke to laughed and generally seemed quite negative when asked for personal financing. It showed a lack of understanding as to what’s happening in their community thanks to PFI and it showed that when pushed to respond, people do not want privatisation of their resources. We must look into how there can be an easier to access
middle point. We could take this forward in ways of offering a petition or event for public to go to, free of charge. People react when money is involved, what if we were to offer them jobs in our company or act more authoritatively toward rejecting users, using law as an enforcer. This experiment has been successful in agitating people and hopefully letting it linger in their curious minds.
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Lucy Sharpe Nina Smale Eve Hohwieler Elena Terrones-Huet Alicia Simpson-Watt
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