The three judges refused the application on the grounds that it was ‘out of time’. They, like Judge Underhill in the first hearing at the High Court, did not justify the council for failing to consult its residents on such a major change as outsourcing most of its services, ruling against Maria Nash only because she applied for a Judicial Review of One Barnet too late. Read the judgement here.

Watch this space for further updates

Maria is determined to continue the fight, and her legal team has applied for permission to approach the Supreme Court.

BAPS is surprised and disappointed at the judges’ decision, and will keep up the campaign against One Barnet, supporting Maria Nash in court and public opposition in Barnet. the future of our borough is at stake – giving up is not an option for us or any other resident . You can find Barnet Alliance’s press release here.

Join us.

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First responses to the council’s press release:

Keith Martin’s letter to The Guardian & The Times:

Dear Sir

 One Barnet

The reaction of the Leader of Barnet Council Richard Cornelius to the Court of Appeal judgment on One Barnet is typical of his misjudgement of public opinion.

1                     It remains true, as emphasised by Lord Justice Underhill, that the Council acted illegally in failing to consult the public on this major issue.

2                     There will be Council elections in May 2014, which makes it totally appropriate for proper consultation to commence now, so that the electorate will be in a position to decide what is best for Barnet at the election.

3                     The Council will have clear evidence of the risk assessment involved in these major contracts.

4                     The risk assessment may or may not confirm Cllr Cornelius’s knee-jerk reaction that “This contract with Capita will save the Barnet taxpayer £126 million over the next decade.”  It is precisely this issue which requires urgent clarification. Other councils have lost money on similar contracts, not saved it.

5                     To sign contracts on 1 September 2013 for ten years, with the mandate to run local affairs only until May 2014, is clearly unnecessarily foolhardy and irresponsible.

A time for clear thinking.

Keith Martin

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Mrs Angry’s Broken Barnet.