The Saturday List #23 - Barnet in the spotlight

As ever, the London Borough of Bonkers Barnet has been in the media spotlight. As the ship of fools sails ever more determinedly towards the edge of the world |(yup, didn't you know that the Earth really is flat), I thought it may be interesting to list all of the media stories about One Barnet in this weeks media.

I have said many times that the One Barnet Bidders, BT, Capita and EC Harris should be aware that the London Borough of Barnet is the place where more people working in Newspapers, televison and media live than any othe place in the country. All of this media activity in One week, when nothing has actually gone wrong yet. Whilst the bidders may make a pretty penny out of the people of Barnet, they are likely to reap a huge amount of reputational damage.

I'd also remind all of the Council officers working on the project to bear in mind that as every day passes and  ever more media coverage emerges of Barnet, your CV becomes less appealing to other employers. That is why Nick Walkley jumped ship. He saw what was coming and wanted to get another job while he still could.


1. BBC London 94.9 Drivetime with Eddie Nestor

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0106w2x/Drivetime_with_Eddie_Nestor_No_frills_councils_and_immigration/

http://www.facebook.com/EddieNestorsDrivetime?fref=ts

2. The Guardian.

Barnet's 'easyCouncil' plan unravels as more Tories oppose cuts and privatising

London's Barnet council divided over controversial scheme of cuts while outsourcing public services to the private sector

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/nov/15/barnet-services-outsourcing-tories-row?INTCMP=SRCH

3. The Guardian

Barnet's outsourcing easyCouncil faces taxpayers' revolt - video

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/video/2012/nov/14/barnet-outsourcing-easycouncil-revolt-video?INTCMP=SRCH

4. The Guardian

Outsource to easyCouncil? Not in our name, says Barnet | John Harris

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/nov/11/local-government-democracy-outsourcing-barnet?INTCMP=SRCH

5. The Daily Mirror

The guerrilla library: As cuts close 8 libraries per month, we visit one that rose again

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/friern-barnet-library-as-cuts-close-1434695

6. The Barnet Press

Worried dad launches legal bid to stop privatisation plans

http://www.edgware-today.co.uk/News.cfm?id=40028&headline=Worried%20dad%20launches%20legal%20bid%20to%20stop%20privatisation%20plans

7. The Barnet Press

Emails show Tories are split over One Barnet outsourcing programme

http://www.edgware-today.co.uk/News.cfm?id=39992&headline=Emails%20show%20Tories%20are%20split%20over%20One%20Barnet%20outsourcing%20programme

8. The Barnet Press

Film’s animated opposition to One Barnet

http://www.edgware-today.co.uk/News.cfm?id=40005&headline=Film%E2%80%99s%20animated%20opposition%20to%20One%20Barnet

One Barnet Legal Challenge - Dear Councillor, please listen to reason

The bloggers of Barnet sent this joint email to every Barnet Councillor today. This blog also contains a video recorded by John Sullivan explaining why his daughter has launched the challenge
- Dear Councillor, Susan Sullivan is launching a legal action to secure a judicial review of the One Barnet programme. As concerned Barnet residents, we believe that it is vital for the financial wellbeing of this borough that this programme is halted. We have seen no evidence that justifies the claims of savings, and plenty of evidence that signing 10-year contracts is highly risky. We do not believe that anyone knows where the economy will be in five years, let alone 10 years. To illustrate the point, in 2007, nobody would have predicted the Credit Crunch, and RBS were embarking on a reckless takeover of ABN AMRO. The markets and the private sector trumpeted this deal as good value for the shareholders of RBS, but it brought the organisation to its knees, and the company would have gone bankrupt had it not been bailed out by the taxpayer. BT, Capita and EC Harris, who are bidding for the One Barnet contracts, have nothing like the market capitalisation or financial strength that RBS was perceived to have in 2007; it cannot possibly be claimed that there is no risk. Gambling, speculation and risk are matters that should not be entertained in the provision of services to vulnerable people. Yet they are precisely the values at the centre of the One Barnet programme. As such, we fully support Susan Sullivan in her action. Her father John Sullivan has been interviewed and gives his reasons for opposing One Barnet and helping his daughter to launch her action. We urge all Barnet councillors and every resident of Barnet to listen to John, as he eloquently sums up the reasons why One Barnet should be abandoned.

(video URL - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etOSBzuN1LM&feature=youtu.be).

Signed
Derek Dishman 
John Dix 
Vicki Morris 
Theresa Musgrove 
Roger Tichborne