As regular readers may know, we are in the process of putting together a new film called Capita - The Movie. The film examines the role of the company in the public sector at local and national level. At present we are doing three things.
1. Writing the storyboard & researching the companies activities.
2. Identifying interviewees
3. Raising funds to produce the film
We have put together a great team and we are busily working hard. One of the biggest tasks recently has been reading the One Barnet contract with Capita. This has whole sections boasting about how Capita have "unique access to policy makers at national level" and talking of their role on policy think tanks. It also implies that the company will use this role for the benefit of Barnet Council. As far as I am concerned the main beneficiary will be Capita shareholders, but is it right that a company boasts about its power and influence in a contract with a local authority. Clearly the implication during the negotiations was that if Barnet didn't sign up, they would be at a huge disadvantage in regards to policy decisions made at national level.
Is this right? It becomes ever clearer to me that there is a huge conflict of interest. We don't need a multi national company in Barnet to provide services, we did this well enough already, but Capita say they offer so more. Does Barnet Council need this? I think that the whole thins is corrosive. We will keep you informed.
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