Monday 3 September 2012

Councillor Daniel Thomas responds to letter from BAPS

A website which may or may not be close to the leadership of Barnet Council (or may be a wind up, who knows), expressed a stout rebuttal of the BAPS letter to Barnet Councillors, which was posted here earlier today. The Barnet Eye decided to ask the Deputy Leader of the council whether the views expressed on this website were aligned with his views. A short exchange ensued, in which Councillor Thomas stated that he disagreed with BAPS AND that the views expressed rebutting the BAPS email did not represent the regime.

Make of all this what you want. I am rather cconfused. Perhaps Councillor Thomas hasn't yet received permission to agree from whoever pulls his strings. What is interesting about the views expressed on the website is that it is the first proper political justification I've seen of the One Barnet outsourcing. Sadly it is rather misleading as it neglects to mention that BAPS support the approach taken by the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE), with regards to managing savings.

The leader of the council stated that you'd have to be mad not to consider the views of APSE. It appears that having said that, the leader didn't consult his deputy, who didn't bother attending the APSE briefings. If you read Cllr Thomas replies carefully, it is rather interesting forwhat they don't say.

You will notice I asked if the views expressed reflected the views of the administration. Mr Thomas answered a completely different question, that the website does not "Speak for the Administration".

Make of that what you will, where I come from, we call it "being a bit slippery".

----------------------------------------

To:E Roger Tichborne
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2012 11:57 AM
Subject: Re: A question?


Dear Mr Tichborne,

Thank you for your message.

No such website speaks for the administration of LBB.

The administration does not agree with the Barnet Alliance for Public Services. The outsourcing dialogues are being wound up and elected members will make a decision in due course after seeing all the facts and the proposals in full.

Kind regards,
Kind regards,

Cllr Daniel Thomas

Finchley Church End Ward

Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources and Performance

London Borough of Barnet


From: Roger Tichborne
To: Thomas, Daniel Cllr Conservative
Sent: Mon Sep 03 11:35:14 2012
Subject: A question?

Dear Cllr Thomas,
Hope you had a nice weekend. Please can you tell me if this post on a website believed to be close to the leadership of the Barnet Conservatives reflects the views of the administration with regards to the letter this morning from the Barnet Alliance for Public Services?
If it does not, please could you lay out the views of the adminstration.
------------------------------

Open Letter to Barnet Alliance for Public Services

Dear Barnet Alliance for Public Services,

In response to your letter to all Barnet Councillors. It may have escaped your notice, but Barnet Council has major funding issues at present. The government has cut grants and we are committed to keeping council tax as low as possible. We believe this to be the best way to help hard pressed household budgets.

Whilst public service trades unions cleary have a vested interest in achieving the best possible deal from the Barnet taxpayer, it is the responsibility of the council to get the best possible deal for everybody. By making efficiencies, more services can be provided. When services are provided by the private sector, quality of service guarantees can be built in. These guarantee improvements to the quality of services provided and ensure that services improve.

Trades unions in Barnet have singularly failed to acknowledge the level of planning and due diligence which has been spent making sure One Barnet delivers the best possible deal for the Barnet taxpayer. Much has been made, by trades union sympathisers, of the risks associated with outsourcing. They have said nothing of the risks of not making efficiencies and the resulting service cuts. In short, if the council simply adopted the no cuts ever mantra that Barnet trades unions have publicly promoted, then the council would run out of money and be able to provide no services at all.

Whilst some staff may lose their jobs or work for different employers, it is vital that the people who need services from the council continue to receive them. They don't care whether the person who delivers that service is a council employee or works for the private sector. We call on the Barnet Alliance for Public Services to acknowledge the reality of the economic situation and to stop burying their heads in the sand.

The Barnet Alliance for Public Services has failed to produce a single shred of evidence that it has any solutions to the funding crisis facing Barnet Council. Until such time as they can propose a credible alternative, they should stop bothering the hard working councillors of Barnet council with silly emails. 

Yours Sincerely

--------------------------
Thanks as ever
Rog T

2 comments:

baarnett said...

Reshuffle fever in Golders Green...

"Blast this van! How can I ever get around the constituency if it keeps going wrong. Hold that wrench still.

Well, answer the phone with your OTHER hand, then. What do you mean it's Cameron. Cameron who? MISTER CAMERON? H-h-hand me the phone!

Y-y-yes it IS Mike here. Yes, well, I'd be DELIGHTED to speak to him as well. Of course I can hang on.

... Oh good afternoon Prime Minister! Yes, I am. No, that wasn't me. Yes, that's right, that's right, THAT was me!

Well, that's very kind of you to say so, Prime Minister. Oh, absolutely, Prime Minister, absolutely. ... Yes, I've noticed that about him as well, since you mention it. Yes of course! It has to be a top-notch team.

... Oh, Prime Minister, I don't know what to say. Yes, well, it IS hard to say that to people. But new blood, and all that.

Well, I would be honoured Prime Minister. No, I don't need time to think about it. ... No, no, 'Minister of State' is just fine, sir! Just fine! For now.

Ruby Claire said...

Quite nice oneline speech, i felt glad that, i have noticed him.





New Manager Announcement Letter