Half a dozen Barnet residents from the Barnet Alliance went along on Tuesday 29 November to the Capita sponsored conference on outsourcing. Andrew Travers, Barnet Council's deputy chief exec, was due to speak about the One Barnet outsourcing programme. We went to challenge the version of truth given by Travers. Would he, we wondered, mention the fact that the One Barnet Programme has never been put before residents for their approval? Would he mention

Barnet Alliance supports the public sector unions' strike to defend their pensions on 30 November. We also want good occupational pensions in the private sector. And how about a decent state pension! Everyone deserves a decent old age, and the country CAN afford it! Here is a list of picket lines tomorrow that we know about: there will be more. Please go and support the strikers. If their pensions are attacked we will all suffer; workers will work

Protest against "One Barnet" outsourcing, Tuesday 29 November, central London On Tuesday morning 29 November Barnet residents will leaflet outside a conference organised by Capita - "New Models of Service Delivery - Opening Up Local Government Services to New Providers" - in protest against the proposed outsourcing of Barnet council services. The protest is from 9am at Lancaster Hotel, Lancaster Terrace London W2 2TY (next to Lancaster Gate tube

There will not be a Barnet Alliance meeting at the Greek Cypriot Centre this Wednesday.  The next meeting will be on Wednesday 7th December.

Issue 3 of our newspaper Our Barnet is back from the printers, and available soon on a street stall near you! If you would like copies to distribute - or one copy to read all for yourself - please email [email protected]. The front page headline is "We want good pensions for all!" Other main articles are: - Barnet 2012: what lies ahead? - Bring back EMA! - Disabled people deserve better - Housing: defend secure tenancies! - Save Our Support

This is the forum where you can have your say on any subject, ask a question on any subject, express an opinion on any subject. You will not be shouted down nor sidelined. The date: Tuesday 29th November, the time: 7 - 9 p.m., the place: Larches House, 1 Rectory Lane, Edgware, HA8 7LF.

Don't forget to submit your questions for Wednesday's Finchley & Golders Green forum at Avenue House, East End Road, N3 3QE and Thursday's Chipping Barnet Forum at Barnet House, 1255 High Road, N20 0EJ. Even if you don't ask a question, it's important to be there to insist on answers to other people's questions. Don't let the Councillors or council Officers brush the issue aside. It's your council, accountable to you.

Statement by Barnet Alliance for Public Services A letter from Councillor Rajput, the Cabinet Member for Adult Services, was sent to voluntary sector organisations on 24 October, aimed at 'all Barnet residents who have an interest in social care services', asking 'for their thoughts about what we should include in our first local report on adult social care services.' He asked for replies by 19 November! A 'Local Account' is actually a non-statutory

Defend Our Pensions! - A joint public meeting of Barnet Alliance and Barnet TUC The government's pension proposals will leave public workers paying more, working for longer, getting less in retirement. This government's pension plan is less about saving money, but rather to make privatisation more profitable for the private bidders. The reform, says public sector outsourcing specialists Lane Clark & Peacock, would lead to “more opportunities

Students organised in the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) are holding a national education demonstration this coming Wednesday 9 November. The focus is the Government's White Paper, a complex document which basically aims at creeping privatisation of higher education. The students will be joined on their march by electricians taking action to defend their national pay bargaining arrangements. You can read more about the march on the