What is Future Shape all about for Barnet

I watched the Future Shape video, produced by Barnet Council and available via YouTube today (Please click HERE to watch this masterpiece - you really should watch it and tell all your friends to as well). Barnet has spent a small fortune on various consultants fees (they won't say how much, but I suspect that a months worth of consultants bills would pay for the Barnet Lollipop ladies they are so keen to axe for the whole year). This team of highly paid genius's seem to have persuaded our beloved council leaders that running a Borough in a London suburb isn't about emptying bins, delivering old people their dinners, making sure kids get a good education. No, if I've listened correctly it is about "slaying giants". What are these giants that Mike Freer and his merry men are off to slay?

Pension Crisis
Personal Debt
Transport Use
Obesity
Climate Change

How will they do this? Well if you read the Future Shape document, they'll set up an SPV (no not one of those things Captain Scarlet used to drive) to outsource service delivery to. This will give the leadership of the council the opportunity to sit around and work out how to get little Johnny to eat his greens.

Are the leaders of Barnet Council the right people to tell us this? Given the transport policy of the previous Barnet head honcho for transport, Brian Coleman, this will mean either hurtling around the Borough collect points on your license or jumping in publicly funded taxi's to 9 course dinners such as the one he described in his Barnet Press Column. It seems that Coleman has solved his Pension crisis and personal debt issues by getting even more tax funded allowances. He's got the transport issues sown up with free cabs, his obesity is coming on pretty well and after all those lovely free rich dinners detailed in his register of hospitality, he's doing pretty well producing methane to change the climate. I must apologise for the diversion, but we all hate a hypocrite don't we (well I certainly do).

Anyway, BTW, now we know what our council leaders think their job should be, lets consider the giants they think they need to get a handle on

COMMUNITY DECLINE
SELFISHNESS
DECLINE IN VALUES

Again lets look at the solution in the Future Shape briefing. Outsource all of the staff to third party contractors. How much will this help the staff's pension crisis or personal debt crisis? Given the pension arrangements and the pay levels of private contractors, it will only help them to have a crisis. How will forcing mothers to spend even less time with their children as they work longer hours to make up the shortfall help address community decline?

What is Mike Freer saying about his council's values when the council throws loyal staff on the scrapheap. As to selfishness, what example do councillors set when they award themselves ever spiralling allowances.

Why on earth are the council discussing obesity and personal debt? This is not within their remit. They should be concentrating on delivering core services as efficently as possible. It may not be sexy but it's their job. If they want to start slaying Giants, then buy a video console. If they want to do a good job of running the Council then start taking an interest in the nuts and bolts. Start delivering quality services. Cut the waste, start saving costs. If council employees are sitting round discussing climate change and personal debt, this is a gross misuse of public funds. If highly paid consultants are saying this is a good idea then sack them.

I ask you this question. What gives the Council better value for money A) The lollipop wardens of the Borough for a year or B) The Consultants advising Mike Freer to indulge in Blue Sky thinking about obesity and selfishness for a month. Here's another question - Which of these two propositions costs more?

This video has confirmed my very worst fears about "Banker of the year" Mike Freer and his regime. I don't know if all our Tory councillors have seen this video, but if you are a Tory Councillor and you have please tell me, What on earth is going on at the Town Hall? The last time I heard such nonsense was at a student party in 1981 when a bunch of geography students decided to sample some herbs grown by a girl in the Botany class.