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It's not Armageddon, we're getting on with it By Stephen Evans |
09 January 2015
Barnet Council, then, in North London. You know:'EasyCouncil';
purveyors of the 'Graph of Doom';ideologically driven outsourcing
zealots; gleefully cuttingservices with impunity; selling its soul
(and services) to
the private sector; single-mindedly hell-bent on pursuing the
destructionof public services forever and a day and who, given half
the chance,would sell its own mother in the process (or outsource
her).
Just because. Because it's fun. Because it gets a kick out of
it.
Google 'Barnet Council' and you'll discover that this is what
some might have you tobelieve. Seek a more balanced view and the
reality is quite dierent (and lessdramatic).
Public sector body signs contract with private company to
provide its back oce atlower cost? Shock.
A private company - with modern systems and greater capital
behind it - transactsplanning applications more eciently than an
in-house service? Horror.
Risk averse, lumbering bureaucrats and local councillors that
never see it coming dosome thinking back in 2008 - a year after
Northern Rock - to anticipate the impendingglobal recession (that
turns out to be the worst in 80 years) and devise a plan to
avoidthe borough they represent going bankrupt? Hang on...
Its no longer news that theres no money, that councils need to
change. It's thehow they change that shapes opinion.
Barnets how is to be a Commissioning Council. That means we're
not driven by apre-disposed public or private sector ideology,
we're driven by a desire for servicequality, impact and value for
taxpayers. Show me the council that has remained100% in-house. The
point is, it isnt a binary debate about in or out, public orprivate
it cant be and, lets be honest, never has been.
So, where do things stand in Barnet? Weve signed contracts with
Capita to provideour back oce and manage some transactional
services - 8% of all services. Thoseservices now cost 6 million
less a year and were seeing improvements - resolutionof issues at a
customers first contact increased from 35% to 61%; a planning
serviceranked second in London for speed of decisions.
We have a varied mix of providers: Some in-house; some
charities; some private;some shared with other authorities; and
some joint ventures. All are commissionedto provide clear service
outcomes and secure value for taxpayers. For those that
areoutsourced, strict contracts and performance targets are in
place.
Were focused on maximising the opportunities of growth and
regeneration; meetingthe boroughs housing needs including building
the first council houses in theborough for over 20 years and
getting people into work.
Were taking a more entrepreneurial approach, by exploring
opportunities to sell moreservices to the public and private
sectors through our commercial Joint Venture. Anyprofit we make
will be reinvested in the borough in homes, school places and
Budgets and eciency Business Local democracy Innovation
Community groups Scrutiny Transformation
transport.
Could we have done more to engage people? Absolutely. Looking
ahead, our abilityto build trust will be a pre-condition for
success - residents will not accept themagnitude of change unless
they believe the council is working in their interest. Wehave to
earn that trust through eective engagement and a good
customerexperience.
But we have made progress. Did you hear about resident
satisfaction increasingsignificantly since 2012, with more
residents trusting the council and thinking weredoing a good job?
So, the next time you hear about Barnet Councils pursuit of
LocalGovernment Armageddon, you might stop to consider that all
might not be as itseems.
Stephen Evans is director of strategy and communications, Barnet
LBC
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Rick Osman 6 months agoI live in Barnet. Everything Barnet
Council does seems designed to make life moreunpleasant for people
who live in Barnet. They... spent tens of thousand driving awayour
football team, so wasted money and lost income for local
businesses; allowed an800 year old market to virtually disappear;
imposed unnecessary and expensive parkingrestrictions on residents
and so on and so on.
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