Barnet Conservatives admit they can't run the council properly on Facebook

I kid you not. The Barnet Conservatives have just posted a Facebook post which admits that the council they run is failing to deliver the level of services residents expect.

Barnet Conservatives Twitter Post

The post states 

Barnet Conservatives

2 hrs · 

We were out speaking with local residents in Friern Barnet this morning with Theresa Villiers MP, Gareth Bacon AM, local Cllr Roberto Weeden-Sanz & Cllr Tom Smith. Many residents have noticed increasing levels of fly tipping, lack of street cleaning, issues with local street parking, and most worringly crime and break ins on their streets. Residents were disappointed with the police response in the area. The Mayor of London Sadiq Kahn isn't providing Barnet with the police it needs despite us contributing more to the Metropolitan Police than any other London Borough.

The Barnet Eye has been highlighting these issues for a decade.  The issues with fly tipping, lack of street cleaning, issues with street parking and usage of local CCTV are down to Barnet Council, which is run by the Barnet Conservatives. It is great that the new crop of Conservative Councillors are admitting that the regime they represent is failing and we cordially invite them around to our place for a cup of tea and a discussion as to how this can all be sorted out.

The Barnet Eye would recommend that the council makes a priority of getting rid of  Capita and their gravy train contract. The sad truth is that areas like street cleaning have suffered as the budgets had to be cut to protect the contractually obliged payments to Capita. Capita are currently trying to negotiate a £4 million payout to the Council to get out of a commitment to save the Council £30 million. I've no idea what sort of idiot would accept £4 million when they were supposed to get £30 million, but it appears that Barnet Council are keen to a push this through.

As to fly tipping, enforcement is run by NSL who have a contract that allows them to keep the fines they impose on anyone fly tipping. Whilst the problem of fly tipping runs out of control, we know of three cases of businesses being fined for fly tipping, for mistakes with leaving contractually agreed refuse collections. In one case, a fine was issued when a restaurant left a bag of waste in a non council approved black bag, rather than a Barnet purple bag, because they'd run out of the council version. A £400 spot fine for tipping was issued. The restaurant contacted the Barnet Eye, who worked with councillors to get it revoked, but we were disgusted that a law abiding business was treated in this way when around the corner, there is a fly tipping hotspot that has had no action at all.

The Conservatives blame the Mayor of London for the lack of police numbers in Barnet. Given that the Conservative Home secretary has cut police budgets, this is highly dishonest. Sadiq Khan offered a 2 for 1 deal to Barnet Council, where he would fund extra police if Barnet Council paid half. The council refused.

Sadly the whole sorry mess at Barnet Council is the result of Barnet Councils ill thought out program of outsourcing, coupled with an ideological refusal to raise council taxes to fund legally required services. Now there is a crisis, the council are planning to raise the council tax by the maximum legally allowed and Conservative canvassers are having to admit that the council isn't doing its job. I wonder if they have been honest enough to explain why.

---- Don't forget to make a date in your diary for The Barnet Eye Xmas party and Community awards at Mill Hill Rugby Club on Fri 14th December at Mill Hill Rugby Club at 8pm. We really hope you can come down and say Hi. Admission is Free.