These are not anarchists or trouble makers. They are decent respectable people who are seriously concerned about the massive £1 billion gamble the Council is taking by outsourcing 70% of the council's services to private companies.
Sadly the library summoned the Police and two PCSO's turned up.They instructed the Baps supporters to move the table from the safe and wide path leading to the library to the narrow pavement all of 6 feet away.
The Lobby then went in to present a report to Councillors holding their Saturday morning surgery.
BAPS are doing a great job of informing the public about what the One Barnet outsourcing programme entails. It just amazes me that Barnet Council feel they can impose such a radical plan without explaining any of the details to the residents they are supposed to represent. Sadly we have an oligarchy in Barnet with a handful of people who think they can impose their misguided will on all 350,000 residents without any opposition whatsoever.
Well I'm sorry to tell you Barnet but the residents aren't a push over.
That's a shame. I was there for the earlier part of the lobby and it was very good natured.
ReplyDeleteYou know what makes it most frustrating? We were asking people as they went into the library to stop and talk about One Barnet and probably not 10% of people thought it was a good idea!
Most people signed our petition against it.
The message I take from this is that the current regime is stifling the democratic will of the residents.
People can sign the petition calling on Barnet council to put the One Barnet programme to a referendum of residents here: http://petitions.barnet.gov.uk/StopOneBarnet/
What we really need people to do is collect signatures themselves from neighbours, friends, etc. They can get paper copies of the petition by emailing barnetalliance4publicservices@gmail.com.
The petition is also available on the Barnet Alliance website but that is currently being hacked, so I'll post the link later!
Best wishes,
Vicki