Three quotes sum up the loss of public sector flexibility:
"Historic private finance initiative (PFI) debt can make it more difficult to change the way estates and buildings are used. Among organisations with PFI commitments, those with the highest capital charges, as a proportion of their income, were the most likely to report weak financial results in 2013-14" (NAO, 2014).
"PPPs in the IT or health sectors can be difficult, as the technological change is simply too rapid in relation to the typical length of a PPP contract" (IMF, 2015).
Sheffield City Council's decision to terminate its waste contract with Veolia is an example of the lack of flexibility:
"The Council has been unable to secure savings in the cost of the Integrated Waste Management Contract ('IWMC') with Veolia to deliver against its budget. The Waste Contract Review Project was therefore commissioned to consider if there is a deliverable alternative to the current contract which would significantly reduce the cost of waste services and allow for a more responsive, flexible and sustainable service in the future" (Sheffield City Council, 2017)