Last night a question was asked at a communicty group meeting, where members were discussing opposition to the One Barnet program. That question was "What will we do if Barnet Council is stupid enough to actually sign up to the ten year, billion pound outsourcing contracts? Would all of the people campaigning against the project simply spend their nights in front of the telly watching Eastenders.
Sadly the question was asked at 8.30pm and the booking for the hall had expired, so no answer was given. I was surprised that the questiobn was even asked.
I speak for no one but myself, but let me tell you what this blog will be doing. First let le tell you why. I was born and raised in Mill Hill, my parents are buried here and all of my children have gone to school here. Most of my friends are local and I have a business here. Whatever happens I have no plans to go anywhere. all I want is the best for my neighbourhood.
That means that retiring from blogging and opposing this madness is not an option. So how will this blog react.
First of all, whether the winner is BT, Capita Symonds or anyone else, that company will be in ths potlight. The first thing I will do is to purchase shares in that company and encourage as many other people in Barnet to do the same. This is not because I think they are a good investment. It is so that as a Shareholder we can attend the AGM and table motions. As a legal part owner of the company that confers all sorts of rights, which I for one plan to take up with a vengeance.
Secondly I intend to make sure that EVERYTHING that happens is given the widest possible audience. If we are going to have a multi national company running the council, I will make sure that they get away with nothing. Any cock ups will result in the maximum publicity possible.
The third thing I will do is make sure that the worlds knows all about the people who took the decision and what the effects of their actions are. In this day and age, google is an important tool for employers, when they check out prospective candidates for jobs. The people who have made this decision will have a very interesting google profile. For the avoidance of doubt, this will simply be an accurate reflection of what is going on and how good they are at making decisions.
The fourth thing I will do, is to make sure that every citizen of Barnet knows exactly who is to blame during the council elections in 2014 and the general election in 2015. Mike Freer was the architect of this project. When the bills come in and the services are cut, his name will be all over it. As will Matthew Offord who was his deputy when the One Barnet project was initiated. They may think they can walk awaya nd wash their hands. Think again chaps.
\My prediction is that in three years time, whichever company wins the One Barnet contract, they will have a hugely damaged image. They will find it significantly harder to get future contracts, which will impact their share price, because the world will know all of their cock ups in Barnet and how much it costs.
My second prediction is that the Conservatives will be massacred in the council election and lose the council in 2014.
My third prediction is that Mike Freer and Matthew Offord will lose their seats in Parliament in 2015. I predict that Theresa Villiers, who sensibly is giving her council chums as wide a berth as possible will hang on. I suspect that Freer and Offord may actually cost the Conservatives dear in that election and David Cameron may come to regret not sorting Basketcase Barnet Council out in 2012, when he had the chance.
We have no choice but to make sure that the One Barnet Programme of privatization is STOPPED!
ReplyDeleteI may be naive, but I believe we can still make it. It was done in other places in the country.
Through activism in Barnet Alliance for Public Services I discovered loads of wonderful and wise people in Barnet and a good, vibrant community. When we gain victory in this campaign and stop the madness of One Barnet, there'll be lots of other things to do to improve life for this community.
In the mean time, we have to make sure all the councillors, especially the Conservative ones who are the only ones who will decide on One Barnet, know full well how much EVERYONE, including their own members, their own voters, are objecting to this privatisation. We have to go on talking with our councillors, writing letters to the press, taking petitions around our streets and local shops and collecting signatures calling for a referendum on One Barnet before the council sign the contracts and assign us for a disaster. And we have to sit in the public gallery during all the important council meetings in Hendon Town Hall (The dates of these meetings and the lobbies of councillors' surgeries are on http://barnetalliance.org/ and anyone wanting petitions can email us at barnetalliance4publicservices@gmail.com.
When we win this battle, I'll take a little break, pace myself to get more rest and go back to gardening.
I am looking forward to having trustworthy councillors who act on our best interests.