2013

Just came out of a shower and the world seems different. I have been told that Capita is taking over Council services and I have a meeting with Capita on Monday.

It appears that on Aprils Fools Day (1 April 2013) the Council hand over the keys to Capita. The staff list drops from approx 510 to 458 on 1 April with a further 210 jobs to go in the first 12 months!

Next week (7 January) we are meeting Capita will check out if this is really true?

Are they really moving jobs out of our community and scattering them to the four winds?

 

 

Dear Councillors

 

On Thursday 22 November the report naming the preferred bidder for NSCSO is to be published.

 

I want to take an opportunity to provide you all with a real example of a Public Sector Comparator (internal improvement plan) looks like in practice.

 

You should all be aware that the One Barnet Programme has not followed best practice in adopting a Public Sector Comparator alongside the Competitive Dialogue Process.

 

This enclosed report from Edinburgh Council (to view click here) provides an insight into how a complex procurement process has been open to public scrutiny and information has been shared with councillors and key stakeholders.

 

The key elements coming out of this report include :

 

1. Scrutiny

Under paragraph 4.9 the report refers to Gateway Reviews being carried out throughout the lifetime of the procurement process.

 

1.1  Have there been any such reviews to provide robust independent assurance to guide ‘councillors’ in Barnet Council?

1.2  If so, have they been made available to councillors?

 

2. Independent Validation

In 5.3 of the report KPMG recognises the importance of the public sector comparator and the report concludes:

 

“KPMG were commissioned to assess the deliverability and associated risks and benefits of the internal improvement plan or public sector comparator. The review concluded that, whilst the public sector comparator provided a legitimate comparison for the purposes of the procurement process, that further work was required to develop the vision into a robust design and deliverable plan.”

 

2.1 On what grounds was the inclusion of a public sector comparator ruled out of procurement process?

 

3. Information to councillors

 

In the case in Edinburgh councillors were independently informed of the critical risks around procurement savings under paragraph 4.11 of the report where it states:

 

“The latest review has also highlighted the risks identified at 4.7 associated with Capita’s procurement savings proposals. The Gateway Review emphasises the importance of a robust risk assessment of both the internal and external proposals.

 

The Capita Bid provides greater savings but the councillors were informed under the Risk section about the critical risks for the deliverability of savings including the following:

·         “Complex commercial mechanisms for calculation and delivery of savings expose the Council to significant risks that may have financial or operational impact

 

·         Realisation of procurement savings has significant dependency on services in other areas of the Council which are not directly influenceable by either the Partner or the Intelligent Client Function

 

·         External changes to implement Universal Credit represents major service change that will require early and effective management.”

 

3.1 Have councillors been provided with the risks to the deliverability of the savings as provided to Edinburgh Councillors included in Appendix 2

 

Recommendation:

 

Councillors are unable to take an informed decision about the NSCSO contract award until the following has been completed.

 

·         Public sector comparator for NSCSO is completed to compare alongside the preferred bidders solution

·         Independent validation of the deliverability of savings and assessment of associated risks

·         Comprehensive series of Gateway Reviews for NSCSO       

Public Services are littered with broken promises, contact variations and changes which always end up costing the tax payer more.

 

 

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

Dear Councillor,

 

REMINDER INVITATION TO A PRESENTATION BY UNISON ON THE FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATORY SERVICES (DRS) AND THE NEW SUPPORT AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT ORGANISATION (NSCSO) IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BARNET

 

In a few weeks time on 6 December the Council’s Cabinet will take a decision on award of a contract for the New Support and Customer Support Organisation (NSCSO.) The options they are likely to be presented with is to award the ten year contract to a consortium comprising BT and EC Harris or one comprising Capita and Barnet Homes, although the decision not to award to either or to defer decision are options still available. The award could result in several hundred jobs being lost out of the borough to elsewhere in the UK.

 

A month later on 8 January the Cabinet will take a similar decision on award of the Development and Regulatory Services contract (DRS). The options this time will be to award to either Capita Symonds or EC Harris, but in addition will probably include a proposal for the Council to enter a joint venture with the recommended bidder. These decisions are very high risk for the Council, they involve many of the critical statutory services for which the Council is held responsible under law. Moreover, joint ventures are both notoriously problematic for public bodies, shifting the financial and statutory risk to them for minimal benefit whilst taking accountability away from locally elected councillors. Again, options will remain for the Cabinet to decide not to award the contract, or to defer decision.

 

These are complex and difficult decisions for the council and UNISON, the public service union, is concerned that elected members are given every opportunity to understand and explore these before decisions are taken. For this reason UNISON cordially invites you to a presentation and discussion on Wednesday 14 November at Hendon Town Hall, Committee Room 1, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm.

The presentation will seek to explain the contract procurement process, including the option of setting up a  joint venture and the risks that the Council is taking in awarding these contracts to external companies. It will also provide opportunities for discussion and explore the options open to the Council at this late stage.

 

UNISON is seeking a genuine dialogue with elected members on the One Barnet Project, particularly concerning the capacity for LB Barnet to run such a large scale out sourcing project and the potential risks associated with it. Our concerns are practical, at heart concerns for the quality and value of services to council tax payers and for the reputation of the council, not ideological.

 

UNISON would very much appreciate you taking the time to hear what we have to say and discuss these issues with us. All elected members of the Council are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be available at the start of the meeting.

Please RSVP to Julie Woods, UNISON Regional Office on 0207 535 6564 or alternatively you can email j.woods@unison.co.uk

 

Yours sincerely

 

Linda Perks

Regional Secretary

UNISON GLR

 

 

 

Barnet UNISON Press Release: 30 October 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: BARNET COMMISSIONING COUNCIL VOTE FOR IN-HOUSE SERVICES

On Wednesday 7 November 2012 Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee is considering a recommendation to support the One Barnet in-house Street Scene Project. The One Barnet Street Scene Project includes the following services:

·         Refuse, organic waste and recycling collections

·         Waste strategy

·         Street cleansing

·         Greenspaces

·         Highways operational team

Earlier this month the Barnet Press reported that “Brent Council executive committee passed proposals to “outsource its “public realm” services – waste collection, street cleaning and ground maintenance – in tandem with Barnet Council as part of its One Council programme.”

 

This decision to support the in-house services signals a clear change of direction for Barnet Council which is currently implementing a policy known as the One Barnet Programme, sometimes referred to as the ‘Commissioning Council’.

John Burgess UNISON Branch Secretary said: “This is fantastic news for residents & 700 council workers delivering these services. I want to take the opportunity to applaud the Council for at last recognising the potential of in-house services to be able to compete with the private sector. We are now calling for the Council to halt the current outsourcing plans for the two contracts (worth in excess of a Billion Pounds public money). We are asking for the Council to work with staff, unions and the community to develop efficient, innovative services for Barnet residents and ensure savings go back into the pockets of the council tax payers.”

 

***** Ends *****

Notes to Editors.

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

Background

Barnet Council is implementing a policy known as the One Barnet Programme, sometimes referred to as the ‘Commissioning Council’. This mass privatisation policy is designed for the Council to divest itself of responsibility to deliver services to its residents.

The first One Barnet project known as New Support Customer Services Organisation (NSCSO) will be for back office services such a Finance, Revenues & Benefits, Estates, IT, HR & Payroll etc, it is estimated to be worth up to £750 million.

It involves approximately 700 council workers. There is a high probability that the winning bidder will not deliver these services from Barnet so there is a high risk of significant redundancies at the moment of transfer.

This contract will be awarded to either Capita or BT at the Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee on Thursday 6 December 2012.

The second One Barnet project is known as Development & Regulatory Services (DRS) which includes the following services:

Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria.

This contract, worth up to £275 million pounds, will be awarded to Capita Symonds or EC Harris at the Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee on 8 January 2013.

This involves approximately 300 council workers

Both contracts are for ten years with an option to extend for a further five years.

UNISON’s position

Over the past four years UNISON has published over 40 detailed reports on the Future Shape/EasyCouncil/One Barnet mass privatisation programme.

Our message has remained clear.

 

Provide a level playing field and follow good practice and include a fully funded in house service improvement model to run alongside the procurement process.

 

Our proposal – In house model

There are a number of examples of where Councils have followed this approach to good effect. Most recently Edinburgh City Council considered the potential for using private contractors to deliver a wide range of its services. It embarked on separate procurement processes for 3 blocks of services utilising the Competitive Dialogue process in an attempt to obtain the best offers available from the market. At the same time in-house teams were asked to work on service improvement plans or Public Sector Comparators, so that when it came to the award of contract, the Council could be sure that the services it was purchasing would genuinely optimise its use of scarce resources. In the end the Public Sector Comparators proved to be more attractive than any of the external offers and no contracts were awarded.

For a fuller explanation click here

Our UNISON branch has produced a list entitled “100 PLUS reasons why One Barnet is high risk and bad for residents and services” which you can view here

 

 

“What I have heard from the Leader, is that he will take a substantial amount of convincing before we get anywhere near a joint venture, so if I was a gambling man, which I am not, I think you could probably put the Icelandic Bank deposits….on there won’t be a joint venture if I was a gambling man, so , quite , quite why councillor Schneiderman you need to be excited about something which is highly unlikely to happen I am not sure.”

Waych here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0RlRku_wvI

(Councillor Brian Coleman, Chair of Budget Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Wednesday 19 September 2012).

Those in attendance at this meeting were the Leader, Deputy Leader and the Interim Director of Planning, Environment and Regeneration. They had ample opportunity to correct this very powerful statement, but chose to say nothing.

The very next day staff working in were informed that both bidders Capita Symonds & EC Harris have been told that a joint venture is the councils preferred option. The winning bidder will therefore submit a joint venture proposal in order to win the £275million pound ten year contract to run Barnet Councils Regulatory Services

The One Barnet Project Development & Regulatory Services (DRS) is looking to privatise the following Council services:

Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria.

Barnet UNISON Press Release: 28 August 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 100 days to One Barnet Billion Pound Gamble

In 100 days time on Thursday 6 December at 7 pm in Hendon Town Hall members of Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee will formally award a contract to either BT or Capita. The first contract known as New Support Customer Services Organisation (NSCSO) will be for back office services such a Finance, Revenues & Benefits, Estates, IT, HR & Payroll etc, it is estimated to be worth up to £750 million pounds with a opportunity to extend for a further five years.

In spite of mounting community opposition within the workforce and the community the Council remains convinced that privatisation works. Barnet Council continues to ignore even the wise words of Sir Merrick Richard Cockell Conservative Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Chairman of the Local Government Association who

“called into question the belief that local authorities should be looking to “outsource everything”. There were some services better performed by the private sector, but the quality of other services run by councils with the “tightest budgets” had been “underestimated”.

2012 has already seen Barnet Council workers being transferred out of the Council including:

•        Adult social care

•        Parking services

•        Housing services

•        Legal Services**

NSCSO project involves over 770 staff most of whom are at risk of their jobs being transferred out of London

UNISON has repeatedly offered to meet with the Leader of the Council to discuss an alternative to the high risk £billion pound gamble being promoted by consultants.

Branch Secretary John Burgess said “If the Private sector can do things differently so can the Council in which case all of the savings come back to the tax payers of Barnet instead of big business.”

** Legal Service staff are due to be transferred out of the council on 1st September 2012.

End.

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

Background

Barnet Council is implementing a policy known as the One Barnet Programme and sometimes referred to as the ‘Commissioning Council’. This mass outsourcing policy is designed to the divest itself of responsibility to deliver services to its residents. A second One Barnet project known as Development & Regulatory Services (DRS) is due to go to Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee on 8 January 2013 where a contract worth up to £275 million pounds will be awarded to Capita Symonds or EC Harris.

 

Background

The One Barnet Programme is just one in a series of mad cap ideas which seeks to hand over public services to the private sector. The One Barnet Programme has been through a number of iterations over the last four years firstly as Future Shape, then EasyCouncil and now One Barnet although that is changing to the Commissioning Council later this year.

Whatever the name another team of expensive consultants come up with it is sadly just the same tired old ideology ‘Private Good, Public Bad’.

However critics of this approach are coming from unlikely circles, earlier this month Sir Merrick Richard Cockell Conservative Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Chairman of the Local Government Association has come out against this anti public services mantra.

“Merrick Cockell called into question the belief that local authorities should be looking to “outsource everything”.

There were some services better performed by the private sector, but the quality of other services run by councils with the “tightest budgets” had been “underestimated”.

In-house services could enable the public sector to adapt to changing environments, he said.

“If you’ve got IT in-house, actually you can be very responsive to change. If you’ve got IT outsourced … every time you want to change it, you have to renegotiate… and that takes time,” he told the newspaper.

Over the last four years our union has submitted over 30 detailed reports to the Council in an attempt to discuss an alternative less risk approach to delivering services to the residents of Barnet.

But time is running out in just over a 100 days’ time (6 December) a handful of Conservative councillors will sit in a committee room in Hendon Town Hall and agree a contract worth up to £750 million to either Capita or BT.

UNISON is still seeking a meeting with the Leader and members of his Cabinet to discuss an alternative to the high risk £billion pound One Barnet gamble.

Until we have this meeting today marks the begining of a hundred (there may be  more) reasons why One Barnet Programme needs to be abandoned and an alternative plan be approved.

1. One Barnet Collection Part One http://youtu.be/JUdJY6SE1as

2. Mouchel calls in administrators http://ning.it/NAtLPj

3. Administration looms as Mouchel restructure fails http://ning.it/NUiqPQ

4. Joint Venture warning for One Barnet http://ning.it/NUiDCr

5. A Barnet resident explains “Why I am so angry about One Barnet Billion Pound Gamble!” http://ning.it/Nl0Xzz

6. After G4S is One Barnet Privatisation a realistic option…No http://ning.it/MWVw4d

7. One Barnet Collection Part Two http://youtu.be/dEJmqzwGil0

8. One Barnet Ten Year Plan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hpc4SvrQ-o

9. One Barnet Monte Carlo roulette gamble http://ning.it/Pd8vCt

10. Learn about One Barnet http://ning.it/NUiJKo

11. Word on the street One Barnet is taking local jobs http://ning.it/NUiPBE

12. One Barnet – Doubts at the top http://barneteye.blogspot.co.uk/2012_07_01_archive.html

13. Mrs Angry ..External Audit ..what is  it good for? …absolutely……http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-art-of-audit-in-broken-barnet-or.html

14. Mrs Angry objects: a response from Mr Hughes, of Grant Thornton

http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/mrs-angry-objects-response-from-mr.html

15. One Barnet Joint Venture: a joint statement by the Barnet bloggers,

http://lbbspending.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-new-one-barnet-joint-venture-joint.html

16. Branch Secretary raises spectre of Southwest One disaster with all 63 councillors http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/911

17. Cost Costs and consequences of a One Barnet Commissioning Council http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Barnet%20Commissioning%20Council%20FINAL.pdf

18. Poor procurement and contract management

http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/Procurement_contract_management.pdf

19. Barnet Council block UNISON questions for EC Harris and Capita Symonds http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/903

20. Commissioning Council and its good friend the ‘Thin Client’ otherwise known as the ‘Invisible client’ http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/898

21. G4S is not an isolated incident http://ning.it/OV8pPC #failedprivatisation

22. Bournemouth Council chiefs set to bring back 22 staff from outsourcing partner Mouchel http://ning.it/MhCJRY #failedprivatisation

23. Bournemouth Councillors were warned by senior council officer http://ning.it/OV8Jhi #failedprivatisation

24. Somerset council takes back services & 160 staff back in house from Southwest OneCouncil http://ning.it/OV8MtB #failedprivatisation

25. Four out of five government departments are trapped in outsourcing deals http://ning.it/OV8Ucq #failedprivatisation

26. BT overcharging Liverpool council by £10m a year, report claims http://ning.it/MhCRAW #failedprivatisation

27. Suffolk council accused of ignoring £100m ‘overspend’ on BT deal http://ning.it/MhCSoB #failedprivatisation

28. UNISON warn Barnet Councillors of high risk #One Barnet Call Centre privatisation plan http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/CSO-NSO%20Update%20Assess.pdf

29. One Barnet the wrong approach to transformation

http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2010/one-barnet-the-wrong-approach-to-transformatio/

30. One Barnet – Failure to assess options

http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/failure-to-assess-options-for-future-shape-of/

31. UNISON Future Shape briefing Number 1 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-briefing-no-1.pdf

32. UNISON Future Shape briefing Number 2 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-briefing-no-2.pdf

33. UNISON Future Shape briefing Number 3 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-briefing-no-3.pdf

34. UNISON Future Shape briefing Number 4 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-briefing-no-4.pdf

35. UNISON Future Shape briefing Number 5 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-briefing-no-5.pdf

36. UNISON Future Shape briefing Number 6 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-briefing-no-6.pdf

37. UNISON Future Shape briefing Number 7 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-briefing-no-7.pdf

38. UNISON Future Shape briefing Number 8 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-briefing-no.pdf

39. UNISON Future Shape briefing Number 9 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-brief-no-9-leisure-contract.pdf

40. One Barnet Critique 2010 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/transformation-and-public-service-reform/one-barnet-critique-2.pdf

41. Future Shape Questions http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-london-borough-of/barnet-brief-no-9-leisure-contract.pdf

42. Good Practice Transformational Toolkit http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/transformation-and-public-service-reform/one-barnet-critique-2.pdf

43. Future of Hendon Cemetery and Crematorium Implications for Future Shape http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/transformation-and-public-service-reform/barnet-cem-crem-tu-report-2.pdf

44. Economic case for in house bids http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2010/the-economic-case-for-in-house-options-and-bid/economic-case-in-house-2.pdf

45. Critique of DRS options appraisal http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2010/easy-council-no-frills-planning-privatisation/barnet-dph-critique.pdf

46. Critique of NSCSO options appraisal http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/transformation-and-public-service-reform/barnet-cso-nso-critique.pdf

47. Analysis of DRS Business case http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2011/analysis-of-development-and-regulatory-service/drs-business-case-analysis.pdf

48. Analysis of NSCSO Business case http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/transformation-and-public-service-reform/analysis-of-business-case-for-600m-750m-new-support-customer-services-project-london-borough-of-barnet.pdf

49. UNISON draft protocol on Competitive Dialogue http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/transformation-and-public-service-reform/barnet-competitive-dialogue-protocol.pdf

50. UNISON Draft Procurement Protocol 2009 http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/transformation-and-public-service-reform/barnet-corporate-procurement-strategy.pdf

51. Future Shape of the Council The Flaws in Barnet’s Commissioning and Procurement Policy http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/news/2008/future-shape-of-the-council-the-flaws-in-barne/barnet-procure-report-2.pdf

52. Sefton Council to end £65m technical services contract with Capita Symonds http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2011/11/25/sefton-council-to-end-65m-technical-services-contract-with-capita-symonds-92534-29838970/

53. Cumbria County Council: We’ll sort our own ICT support, thanks http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2012/07/18/cumbria_services

54. Cumbria council brings Amey staff back in-house http://www.nce.co.uk/news/business/cumbria-council-brings-amey-staff-back-in-house/8619218.article

55. The value of returning local authority services in-house in an era of budget constraints http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/20122.pdf

56. A day last year when President Obama expressed a wish to meet the Famous Five Bloggers http://youtu.be/XKBPUBSFGZI

57. All about the money http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=jEqOugdr04c&NR=1

58. President Obama addressing Barnet UNISON members about One Barnet last year http://goanimate.com/videos/0YEbYu06cXU0?utm_source=linkshare&uid=0HgcHzZR9Qi4

59. President Obama on lessons on outsourcing http://goanimate.com/videos/0XaHkmEoRfzI/1

60. Where residents can go to find out more about One Barnet http://goanimate.com/videos/04ORBzYXZ9hU/1

61. Insourcing: A guide to bringing local authority services back in-house http://www.apse.org.uk/page-flips/2011/insourcing/files/in-sourcing.pdf

62. Government urged to ditch Capita after ILA failure http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=170259&sectioncode=26

63.  National Express slumps into red after rail fiasco http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/7318295/National-Express-slumps-into-red-after-rail-fiasco.html#

64. Mrs Angry Leaving One Barnet  http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/leaving-one-barnet.html

65.  Rochdale Council to bring property and highway services back in house http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/64597/council-to-bring-property-and-highway-services-back-in-house

66. Somerset Council to bring Southwest One services back in house http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240142323/Somerset-Council-to-bring-Southwest-One-services-back-in-house

67. One Barnet Outsourcing ….it’s never too late to say no! http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/907

68. http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/outsourcing-ppp-library/contract-and-privatisation-failures/105-public-sector-ict-contract-failures/105-ict-contracts.pdf

69.  One Barnet Outsourcing – Do residents really understand what it is all about http://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/one-barnet-outsourcing-do-residents.html

70. Care homes are checked after deadly bacteria found in water  http://www.barnet-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=7209

71. Privatisation of Social Care – What would you do? http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/580

72. Barnet Council – Metpro Scandal – Open letter to Leader and CEO  http://barneteye.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/barnet-council-metpro-scandal-open.html

73. Edinburgh halts privatisation plan http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=7538

74. Aberdeen wins battle against privatisation http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=7708

75. IBM in dispute with Joint Venture South West One partners http://ning.it/NIv8LJ Barnet Council choose Joint Venture for One Barnet http://ning.it/O2XOF3

76. Joint Venture failing big time http://ning.it/O2XG8F Barnet Council choose Joint Venture for One Barnet http://ning.it/O2XOF3

77. Somerset Council braces for lawsuit from Southwest One shared service venture http://ning.it/O2Yeew Barnet Council choose Joint Venture for One Barnet http://ning.it/O2XOF3

78. Mouchel bankruptcy shouldn’t be ‘business as usual’ for public bodies http://ning.it/O309Qp

79. Bournemouth asked to ‘insource’ following Mouchel restructure http://ning.it/O350RE

80. Lawyer urges worried buyers to check Mouchel contracts http://ning.it/O35FlV

81. Mr Mustard Is the One Barnet Parking Contract robust?  http://ning.it/NKbgYM

82. Mr Reasonable Barnet Supplier Payments – is spending out of control? http://ning.it/NKbNK8

 83. Milton Keynes severing ties with Mouchel http://ning.it/O53gHB #fail privatisation

84. Planning to Outsource Planning by Julia Hines http://ning.it/O59ZBd

85. Greensquare Field – Planning to Outsource Planning part 2 by Julia Hines http://ning.it/O5ao6K

86. More evidence of private sector failure on IT contracts in Scotland http://ning.it/O5bzDl

87. Mrs Angry One Barnet: A Warning from History http://ning.it/O5bWxr

88. Mrs Angry Pulling out at the last minute: Strategic partnerships, and how to avoid unwanted consequences http://ning.it/O5c5kJ

89. Mrs Angry’s School for Scandal: A lesson in outsourcing – Part Two http://ning.it/O5c4gF

90. Mrs Angry Would like to meet? Love and outsourcing in the One Barnet House of Fun http://ning.it/NKjhgd

91. BT to sue council over “unlawful” contract termination http://ning.it/O5forT

92. BT will agree to drop a threat to sue the Liverpool council for £56m. http://ning.it/NKn2SN another Joint Venture which failed to deliver

 93. Barnet UNISON – Briefing Number 1 Edinburgh an example of an alternative http://ning.it/NMdRS3 sent to all 63 Barnet councillors

94.Somerset Joint Venture the beginning of the end? http://ning.it/O8mT1p

95. Mr Reasonable ‘Arrogance, Overspend, Complacency and the Audit Trail that Leads Nowhere http://ning.it/O8n7FQ

96. Mrs Angry ‘Mr Reasonable and Mr Hughes, and yes, everything in the garden is lovely. Still’ http://ning.it/O8naRX

97. Barnet residents write open letter to all 63 One Barnet councillors http://ning.it/NMeevO

 98. Joint Venture Southwest One sues Somerset Council http://ning.it/NXuutW

99. Liddell-Grainger, MP ‘it was a fairyland offer that has cost the council taxpayers of my county millions of pounds’ http://ning.it/NXuZ7p

100. BREAKING NEWS One Barnet Mastermind Special Edition local resident scores top marks http://youtu.be/8Wb3QloW7No

101. Union joins chorus asking for Cornwall Council privatisation plans to be paused “The proposals, which was rejected by a majority of councillors at the authority yesterday afternoon, would see up to 1,000 staff transferred to a new private company.” http://www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/news/cornwall_news/9911304.Union_joins_chorus_asking_for_Cornwall_Council_privatisation_plans_to_be_paused/

102. Cabinet ignores vote by council

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Cabinet-ignores-vote-council/story-16836691-detail/story.html

103. Confirmed – Southwest One to sue Somerset, but Surrey Police halt their outsource http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Cabinet-ignores-vote-council/story-16836691-detail/story.html

104. Briefing Number 1 Briefing Number 1 Edinburgh an example of an alternative http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Edinburgh.pdf

105. Briefing Number 2 Cornwall Outsourcing http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Cornwall.pdf

106. Briefing Number 3 Lessons from Southwest One Joint Venture http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Somerset.pdf

107. Briefing Number 4 Street Lighting PFI http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/street%20lighting%20No%204.pdf

108. Briefing Number 5 What are Joint Ventures?” http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/What%20are%20Joint%20Ventures%20Briefing%20No%205.pdf

109. Briefing Number 6 ‘G4S Fiasco’  http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Briefing%20No%206%20G4S.pdf

110. Briefing Number 7 One Barnet contract monitoring or thin client which is it to be? http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Briefing%20Number%207%20-%20One%20Barnet%20Contract%20Monitoring.pdf

111. Briefing Number 8 ‘How Joint Ventures Work’ http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Briefing%20Number%208%20How%20Joint%20Ventures%20work.pdf

112. Briefing Number 9 ‘Regulatory Services & Risk’ http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Briefing%20Number%209%20-%20Regulatory%20Services%20&%20Risk.pdf

113. Barnet resident debunks Graph of Doom with Graph of Choices http://ning.it/PoyAfv

 

The outsourcing saga of Barnet Council Legal Services to Harrow Council continues. The likely date of transfer to Harrow could be early August. The target date was 2 July, but that was before the #Spartacus revolt and plans of the new Harrow Legal Service revealed.

Yesterday staff were informed the new name of the service will reflect the shared service ethos,……?.

There were two issues that are causing concern.

The first is how are the Barnet Council going to overcome the tricky issue of Capita?

Capita currently provide IT services for Harrow Council. Barnet Legal services are currently advising all of the One Barnet projects and using Barnets IT service. They will still have to support the One Barnet projects after they transfer to Harrow, BUT then they will be using IT services provided by Capita.

Capita Group and Capita Symonds are bidding for both outsourcing contracts worth up to £billion pounds.

The staff were told a solution is being worked on…….

The second issue concerns contract monitoring.

UNISON has been concerned about the lack of transparency and requested a copy of the Due diligence which has taken place to support the business case.

UNISON was informed there is no actual Due diligence document. UNISON asked if there was a Due diligence template and was told No.

UNISON asked how the Council was going to ensure the new shared service was going to deliver Value for Money for Barnet residents.

At first UNISON was reminded of the joint strategic board which includes both chief executives). UNISON was already aware of this and asked who would actually monitoring of the contract. Furthermore UNISON asked if the council would monitor outcome or outputs (sorry readers if you now fall asleep).

UNISON was informed that the Council was going to monitor outcomes &outputs and a contract manager would be appointed.

UNISON asked if this was one of the posts in the recent chief executive restructure and was told it was a separate post.

At the Legal services briefing yesterday UNISON asked when this post was being advertised. Staff were informed that they were still working on the details, but they could confirm it was a level four post which makes it a Head of Service post.

UNISON found this strange as the Chief Executives restructure involves all posts level four to level six. The Council has already started assessing staff for the new posts in the Chief Executives restructure and understands some staff have been successful and others not. The Legal Services Contract Monitoring post has not been made available for staff to apply……..more later…