The Daily Express names and shames Barnet Councils "Greedy Pen Pushers"

Cut these greedy pen pushers and free the nation !

This is the call to arms from columnist Leo McKinstry in todays Daily Express. Given that this blog has been calling for such action for years, we wholeheartedly back Mr McInistrys comments. Reading through Mr McInistrys article I was not surprised to find that the very first example he chose to give of council wastage was Barnet. In Barnet Council there is a culture of waste and a culture of not caring. Front line services are cut left, right and centre, such as wardens for the residents of sheltered housing,  call centres are moved to far flung shores under "Future Shape", in the process destroying local jobs, yet the council wastes millions on consultants to advise that there is a shortage of senior management. As the monstrous Future Shape "savings scheme" rolls into town we find that they are recruiting "senior assistant directors" on huge salaries to implement it (odd how in Barnet Council, savings always involve more managers). This blog detailed all of this a couple of weeks ago. Leo McInstry clearly agrees, he says in todays Daily Express :-

Too much public sector recruitment is nothing more than an employment racket for over-paid bureaucrats. Only this month, for instance, Barnet Council in North London has advertised for three assistant directors on salaries totalling over £300,000

We couldn't agree more, or put it better ourselves. Barnet Council CEO Nick Walkley and Leader of the Council Lynne Hillan should hang their heads in shame. The Daily Express is a staunchly Conservative paper and for a Tory Council to be named and shamed by such a paper is a complete humiliation. What we need is a council which takes an axe to the bloated management structure and uses the huge savings it can make to ensure that front line services to the weak, frail and elderly are defended.This blog is not a right wing slash and burn rag. We are left leaning and passionately believe in maintaining public services. This can only be done by efficiently managing our resources and getting rid of highly paid managers doing non jobs. Given the millions Barnet has spent on consultants, only to be told "hire more managers" it is clear that the bosses in their North London Business Park Ivory Towers just don't get it. I hope being named and shamed by the Daily Express is the reality check they need.

I have this question for Mr Walkley and Ms Hillan as they have their morning coffee. How do you feel about the fact that out of all of the hundreds of councils in England, the Daily Express chooses Barnet Council as the very first example of "an employment racket for over-paid bureaucrats" in an article titled "Cut these greedy pen pushers and free the nation"?

P.S Note to Boris. Your hand picked appointee to run the Fire Service (LFEPA) is the kingmaker who pulls the strings in this failed regime. Wake up and sack him.