We have been told repeatedly that the Capita One Barnet Contract will save residents millions of pounds. The two main contracts and the forecast savings are as follows: NSCSO (now called CSG) Baseline (at December 2012) costs £38.8 million Forecast costs savings £7.01 million Procurement savings £4.69 million Improved council tax collection £0.84 million Total guaranteed saving £12.54 million By my reckoning this means that Barnet should pay

  Barnet Alliance for Public Services PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 30 August 2013     R.I.P. Barnet Public Services – Residents mourn the takeover by Capita   ‘People in Barnet are dismayed at the Council’s massive outsourcing not only without consultation,’ says BAPS spokesperson Barbara Jacobson, ‘but especially in the light of continuing news about the failure of the private sector in delivering public services.’

A funeral procession for Barnet's public services: We are gathered here today to bid farewell to Barnet Public Services.   It is sad, of course, to lose a single service, but to lose the majority of this family is truly tragic. Perhaps you did not know all of them, but all of us were acquainted with some of them. They were there to serve us and they provided jobs for some of us. The purpose of these services – like the motivation of those

During June meeting of the Budget, Performance, Overview and Scrutiny Committee Cllr. Anthony Finn, the Chair, inform the world that "the purpose of scrutiny is not to criticise, but to make a positive contribution."   But apparently, Cllr Finn quibbling turned to be a serious issue, when the disgraced ex-Tory cllr. Coleman revealed in the full council meeting last week that there is no scrutiny in Barnet Council, and that the Councillors are whipped

The very core of our local democracy is under threat! - Azi Khatiri "we can get round the law" - Barbara Jacobson No more cuts! - Julian Silverman You have been had… - Theresa Musgrove What about a second opinion? - John Dix You confirmed my worst fears about privatisation and outsourcing - Tirza Waisel The very core of our local democracy is under threat! Azi Khatiri I would like to begin by reminding you all that being a councillor means you

Barnet Alliance for Public Services is pleased that The High Court acknowledged it will review the £320 million services contract due to be outsourced by Barnet Council to Capita. The hearing is likely to take place after mid March. Steel & Shamash Solicitors, acting on behalf of Barnet resident Maria Nash, have issued proceedings against Barnet Council, Capita PLC, EC Harris LLP, and Capita Symonds Ltd. Ms Nash seeks a judicial review of the

Barnet Alliance for Public Services is delighted to hear that Maria Nash, a Barnet resident who has instructed lawyers to seek a Judicial Review of the One Barnet Programme, has now been granted funding through Legal Aid. Lawyers for Barnet Council responded late Thursday night to a pre-action protocol letter that was sent to the Council by Maria's lawyers on 6 December, prior to the Cabinet meeting that approved the appointment of Capita plc as

1) Budget challenge = need for One Barnet Programme Barnet Council’s ‘Barnet First’ magazine for September 2012 identifies that £72.5m is required to be saved from the baseline budget over the four year period 2011-12 to 2014-15.  The Council’s budget book identifies £43m of savings to be delivered in the three year period 2012-13 and 2014-15.  This means that the Council has already delivered £29.5m worth of savings or 40% of the required

In-house/public sector comparator Barnet Alliance is campaigning to oppose the One Barnet programme and at the same time asking that Barnet Council commit to developing an in-house comparator. It is important that residents understand what this means and how other councils invest in ensuring that best practice in this field is followed. What have the private sector bidders been doing? For the last 12 months the bidders have had full access to all