Critics of the Future Shape/EasyCouncil/One Barnet programme have gone on the record that despite all the rhetoric about new and innovative approaches to service delivery the Council are simply embarking on mass privatisation. Unlike the failed privatisation projects (also known as Compulsory Competitive Tendering CCT) this time they are attempting to privatise the whole council.

“Is this an exaggeration?”

This week almost 800 staff working in a number of council services were told that their days working for the Council were numbered.

I attended 7 staff briefings earlier this week and listened to claims  that the Option Appraisal was an objective & evidence based process!

Furthermore staff were told that the decision was not predetermined, however I can report that staff do not believe that and I think I can say with confidence that they know this is a political decision.

It is becoming increasingly clear that we are facing the return of the mad dogma known as “Private Good Public Bad!”

In the briefings staff asked about business cases and evidence behind the decision, but we all know that there is no evidence behind these projects.

The Trade Union reports produced by Professor Dexter Whitfield have exposed the lack of evidence and inconsistency in the above programme. Last year Grant Thornton the external auditor detailed a number of serious risks about this Programme.

So why do I make this claim. I thought I would look at the list of services that have already gone through the first stage of Future Shape.

Take a look at the number of council services all of which have gone through an Options Appraisals and all have produced a decision to privatise with the exception of Legal service (apparently there isn’t market for Legal Services, amazing really considering how often the Council goes to the private sector law firms for legal advice!).

Mass privatisation……?

24 out of 25 Council services have now been told they are to be privatised!  

1. Building Control & Structures
2. Planning (Development Management)
3. Strategic Planning & Housing Strategy
4. Regeneration
5. Land charges
6. Highways Transport & Regeneration
7. Highways strategy
8. Highways Network Management
9. Highways Traffic & Development
10. Environmental Health (Residential & Commercial)
11. Hendon Cemetery & Crematorium
12. Trading Standards & Licensing
13. Registration & Nationality
14. Parking Service
15. Coach Escorts
16. Passenger Travel
17. Customer Services
18. Adult Social Care
19. Estates
20. Facilities
21. Procurement
22. Human Resources
23. Information Services
24. Revenues & Benefits
25. * Legal Services

* to be retained in-house

 

 

To view video click here

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Big Society Bites back!

Yesterday over a 1,000 people took to the streets of Barnet in protest against cuts to public services in Barnet.

The march through Thatcher’s former constituency to the Arts Depot (also under threat from cuts to funding) was organised by Barnet UNISON, Trades Council and Barnet Alliance for Public Services.

The turnout provided a clear message to local politicians that the community is at last waking up to the reality of what the ‘Cuts, Cuts Cuts’ agenda means to them and their families.

John Burgess, Branch Secretary said:

“The Coalition’s Big Society is being turned on its head. Their vision of dumping responsibility back onto the community is being rejected by local residents and staff. The Councils stealth taxes (i.e. increased charges for services) and the cuts to care services for vulnerable adults forcing carers to take on more are simply not acceptable. We are being told that frontline services would not be affected, yet the Budget seeks cuts to mental health services, youth services, school crossing patrols, children’s centres, learning difficulties provision, care packages and much more.”

The march finished at the Arts Depot and protestors entered a packed auditorium to hear speakers talk about the impact of the Cuts.

Tariq Ali castigated the adherence by all parties to the idea of the market as a solution to all problems.

Frances O’Grady, deputy general secretary of the Trades Union Council (TUC) gave a rousing speech “We can see Barnet is a window on Cameron’s Britain. This is the way he wants all of Britain to go. “Never mind easyJet this is Ryanair public services. Not necessarily cheap but definitely nasty.”

Other speakers included Linda Perks UNISON Regional Secretary, who condemned the “idiotic easycouncil model which this council are grimly determined to foist on us: three years old and still having millions of pounds of our money spent on it, with not a single penny made in any savings!”

Robert Johnson, of Barnet Voice gave a powerful speech about what he saw as a massive cut to mental health services he claimed a his group, a grass-roots mental health organisation, faced a 33 % drop in funding and an “uncertain future” helping people in the borough.

Resident Susan Dunning, who attended the march said: “We had people here angry about the cuts to so many different services across the borough including mental health care, youth services and park maintenance “So many children’s centres which have just been opened are now due to be closed. “People on crutches, in wheelchairs, with prams turned up to join the march.”

Rock Against the Cuts (RAC)

This was the launch of RAC  with The Foundations’ headlining also on the bill was Boz Boorer, the False Dots, The Hamptons and 13 Riots. The audience really appreciated the performances, plans are already underway for a bigger fund raising event a number of known artists have declared their willingness to support the event.

 What next

On 15th March 2011, for a discussion with Prof. Dexter Whitfield, Director of the European Services Strategy Unit, author of One Barnet Critique – the analysis of the One Barnet Framework. The meeting will seek to find out what the real cost of the cuts will be to the Barnet residents.

Meeting starts at 19:00 in the Greek Cypriot Community Centre, 2 Britannia Road, London N12 9RU.

End.

Contact: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

 Background: 

BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/uk-england-london-12318150

 ITV http://www.itv.com/london/council-protests51114/

 Photographs

·         You can view pictures of the march here on Flickr and here 

·         To view Video clip click here

 

To view click here

What the papers say?

Hendon Times stories and pictures

“Hundreds of residents and activists march through Finchley in protests at planned cuts”

HUNDREDS of angry protesters have taken to the streets of Finchley in a mass rally against planned cuts to local and national services.

Around 600 people joined a protest march organised by Barnet Alliance for Public Services (BAPS) from Finchley Central Tube station to the artsdepot, which faces losing its grant form Barnet Council.

Read full article click here

“Leading TUC member and Tariq Ali address crowds at arts depot in North Finchley”

IMPASSIONED speeches from a leading Trade Unionist and left-wing thinker Tariq Ali have received a rapturous welcome at a rally against planned cuts in Barnet.

Hundreds of people have packed into the auditorium at artsdepot, North Finchley, to hear music from 60s favourites The Foundations and local bands, as well as the speakers.

Today’s events have been organised by the Barnet Alliance for Public Services to raise awareness for organisations and groups facing funding cuts.

Frances O’Grady, deputy secretary general of the Trades Union Council (TUC) described Barnet as the “test bed for privatisation” .

Read full article click here

“Barnet Voice leader tells rally cuts will make service provision ‘dog eat dog’”

Robert Johnson, of Barnet Voice, made the comments while speaking to a rally of people upset with plans to cut public sector services in Barnet at the artsdepot this afternoon.

He told the assembly his group, a grass-roots mental health organisation, faced a 33 per cent drop in funding and an “uncertain future” helping people in the borough.

Read article click here

UNISON members working across Youth Services havce submitted a response to the Director of Children’s Services.

To view report click here

A growing alliance of musicians is launching Rock Against the Cuts at the  Arts Depot threatened by closure in Finchley on Sunday Jan 30th at 1pm. This is a direct response to Barnet Council’s plans to close the only major venue in the London Borough of Barnet (London’s second biggest Borough).

 

60’s superstars The Foundations have reformed to lead the line up. Also playing is Boz Boorer, who has played guitar with Morrissey for the last decade as well as having worked with The Polecats and Adam Ant. Recently signed Indie band 13 Riots will be performing an acoustic set and up and coming London band the Hamptons will represent the student band scene. Local stalwarts The False Dots will be making a special appearance with Connie A, who has just returned from a tour of the USA and Africa working with Emmanuel Jal.

 

As well as the music, there will also be speeches from groups affected by the cuts, lead by veteran campaigner Tariq Ali and Frances O’Grady Deputy General Secretary TUC.

 

The event is preceded by a march (gather outside Finchley Central Tube station at 11.30 am) organised by local Trades Unions & Barnet Alliance for Public Services, who have organised the whole event.

To view petition click here

Over a year ago Barnet Council had their decision to remove on site sheltered wardens overturned in a Judicial Review.

In this years Budget Proposals the Council are proposing to remove the on site shelterd wardens

BBC covered the story on Insideout on BBC1 this evening to view click here