Wednesday 22 August 2012

Barnet council is out of control - what the hell is going on?

On Friday Pam wharfe, a senior executive of Barnet council circulated an email to staff saying the following about One Barnet.
"as a result we have decided to form a Joint Venture organisation with the successful bidder, which provides an effective basis on which the Council can benefit from these opportunities and at the same time it gives the Council greater rights of transparency and control.  What this means is that the successful bidder and the Council will form a new organisation in which both have an interest.  This new organisation will then contract with the Council to provide the DRS services.  The Joint Venture approach does not change the approach to TUPE of staff or weaken any of the commitments given - staff would TUPE into the new organisation rather than to the commercial partner.  We shall provide further information on the Joint Venture in the next week however as ever you are welcome to ask any questions you may have regarding this or other elements of the DRS procurement"
Today the Leader, Richard Cornelius emailed local blogger Mr Mustard saying about Ms Wharfe's email
No decision has been made. No case for a jv has been made beyond the suggestion that there might be such a case. The decisions will be made by elected members in due course
In short, either one of them is telling Porkies or there is something highly suspicious going on, with officers making policy and not telling the Leader of the council.

What is going on? Who is running the council? Officers or the political leadership?
Richard Cornelius has been completekly undermined by Ms Wharfe's email. There is only one course of action which we expect him to take. We expect him to get a Gin and Tonic and go to the golf club, pretending everything is fine, like he's done with all of the other problems that have happened on his watch.

We expect Pam Wharfe and Nick Walkley to also do what they always do when such embarrassing situations arise. Piss themselves laughing.


4 comments:

Mr Mustard said...

Do you know Roger I think for once that a head might roll. Just not sure whose.

baarnett said...

This is treating staff like dirt. Private sector transfer? Public sector? Who cares? Drinks all round!

It's rather like 1980s council leader Derek Hatton giving redundancy notices to all Liverpool council staff "just in case", this is playing with people's lives.

baarnett said...

"Do you know Roger I think for once that a head might roll. Just not sure whose."

And Mrs Angry will be sitting next to the wicker basket, knitting.

Moaneybat said...

"This new organisation will then "contract" with the Council. ""The Joint Venture approach does not change the approach to TUPE"" of staff or weaken any of the commitments given - staff would TUPE into the new organisation

This does depend on which of the 'mutual' parties has the greater degree of control and relative benefit. Somehow one does not think that the Barnet side of the venture will take the risk to cough up full redundancy payments following the end of 1-2 year TUPE agreement. The staff work for the NEW Organisation.

Connaught! Did everybody get re-employed?