Friday, 20 July 2012

Barnet Council One Barnet Document states that In House Staff provide better value for money !

There is an interesting report on the council website. Barnet have spent a kings ransom on legal fees with Trowers and Hamlins LLP to support the One Barnet program. It was revealed yesterday that they've also had two solicitors in Barnets legal team working on the project. They are now creating a dedicated post of "One Barnet Legal Officer" to oversee the work performed by Trowers and Hamlins
http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s4996/1738%20-%20Creation%20of%20Solicitor%20Post%20for%20Fixed%20Term.pdf

Perhaps the biggest irony for a post created to outsource the council, is the admission that in house resources are cheaper. In section 5.3 is says


Performance and Value for Money:  the use of its own Legal staff to provide legal advice and assistance to its One Barnet Programme provides the council with value for money. 

Need I say more. The report carries on with some other rather interesting information.



BACKGROUND INFORMATION

8.1 In 2009, external lawyers, Trowers and Hamlins, were appointed as the Council’s legal advisors to the One Barnet Programme.  However, from the outset, it was identified that a level of internal legal resource would be required to support the legal work being carried out by Trowers and Hamlins. 

8.2 Two permanent members of staff from the Legal Service are, presently, ‘seconded’ to the One Barnet Programme, whilst further, internal, legal support is being provided by an ‘As and When’ member of staff. 

8.3 The use of internal legal resources to support the One Barnet Programme provides good value for money.   

8.4 The Development and Regulatory Service and the New Support Customer Services  Organisation One Barnet Programme projects are, presently, in dialogue and are due to go live in April/May 2013.  The current level of internal legal support for the One Barnet programme will, therefore, be required in the period close to when   these two projects go live.  Consequently, the fixed term post is being created to 
continue until 31 March 2013.

8.5 As it is anticipated that the Council’s Legal Service will transfer to the London Borough of Harrow with effect from July 2012, or such later date if appropriate, to become a shared legal service with the London Borough of Harrow, the new post and post-holder would transfer to the London Borough of Harrow  if the service transfer takes place on July 2012 or such later date at which the fixed term post is 
still continuing.

2 comments:

  1. Mr Mustard20 July 2012 at 08:04

    Oh Roger come on, this is Barnet, nay One Barnet, where if it suits the council today Black is White and tomorrow Black is Black and they will tell you it is green even when you know that it is red. I hope that this summary of the One Barnet programme is clear.

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  2. Mr Reasonable20 July 2012 at 15:22

    And in addition we are not allowed to see any of the relevant elements of the Trowers & Hamlins contract including their procedures for dealing with conflicts of interest or confidentiality of data because this is "commercially sensitive".

    ReplyDelete

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