Last night I attended the Cabinet Resources Committee, a meeting with a packed agenda and a very packed room. A large number of people were there to hear about the sale of the Hendon FC ground, something which has been causing controversy for several years. London Jewish Girls High School (LJGHS) had apparently put in a higher offer for the site but this was not considered by the council. Cllr Dan Thomas reassured the committee that he had taken legal advice and that he was sure Barnet Council were in the right. However if you pop over to the Barnet Eye’s website you will see a letter from LJGHS legal advisors, Flagates, threatening the potential of a judicial review if their bid is ignored. Looks like the council lawyers will be clocking up some fees then.
I had submitted some questions regarding the £750 million outsourcing. As ever, I ask questions and the council do their best to avoid answering them.
The key issues which came out last night, and which BT and Capita should take note of, are as follows:
• Any procurement savings have to come back to Barnet Council – Note to Barnet Council you may need to put some serious resources into checking to make sure it happens.
• Cheap and cheerful won’t cut the mustard. Barnet want good quality and cheap – Note to Barnet Council this may be very difficult to achieve so don’t be surprised if one or both are not achieved.
• Savings have to be generated from day one. Interestingly Cllr Thomas illustrated how Barnet Council made £29 million of savings last year alone without the help of BT or Capita, so why we are outsourcing to save another £39 million over the next ten years seems puzzling.
• Check to make sure some of the contracts you are hoping to re-tender haven’t been extended by Barnet.
• Any savings you show in your bid are guaranteed according to Mr Cooper – BT and Capita please note you are on the hook so no whinging when it goes wrong.
• If you are planning to put your call centre in Bangalore you will probably get away with it so long as it is cheap enough, even though other Councillors may disagree. Some of the councillors undertook a study and recommended that you should assist the council in creating local job opportunities, graduate trainee opportunities, apprenticeship opportunities and sub-contract parts of the supply chain (where possible) to local companies within the borough.
• I hope Liverpool and Sefton have nice things to say about you if Barnet take up references with them, although do they really want to hear bad news, maybe not.
• If you plan to “channel shift” - getting everyone to deal with you via the internet - you’ll probably get away with it, so long as it saves money. However, lots of people in the community prefer to deal with the council face to face or on the telephone.
Sadly the rest of the meeting went through at a fast pace with Cllr Coleman shouting agreed to every item – he was obviously in a hurry to get off somewhere. Item 15, the building cleaning contract was withdrawn, I wonder why?
So yet again the rubber stamping experts at Barnet showed their prowess at minimising debate. How very efficient – how very undemocratic.
Standing up for common sense in New Barnet
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Saturday, 25 February 2012
One Barnet Reality - Close a library or pay a consultant £12,900 a day
Barnet Council published their supplier payments for January yesterday. Sadly the Council's love affair with their One Barnet implementation partner shows no sign of waning. In January Agilisys were paid £270,719.50 or just under £13,000 every working day of the month.
In the year to date Agilisys have been paid £1.3 million and when coupled with the £642,050.64 they received last financial year they have now billed a shade under £2 million. That is £2 million to just one firm of consultants. There are many other consultants plying their trade at Barnet.
Trowers & Hamlins have also done well out of One Barnet billing the Council £152,641.57 in January.
Simply Performance Management Limited billed another £9,200 in January bringing their total fees for the year to date to £44,775. Now what is interesting about this company is that they specialise in Executive Coaching and have billed the Deputy Chief Executive's office. I wonder who needs that much coaching!
In the week when Councillors confirmed the closure of Friern Barnet library it sticks in the gullet of many decent people in Barnet that the council should be squandering so much money on consultants for a strategy which still seems both unproven and high risk.
In the year to date Agilisys have been paid £1.3 million and when coupled with the £642,050.64 they received last financial year they have now billed a shade under £2 million. That is £2 million to just one firm of consultants. There are many other consultants plying their trade at Barnet.
Trowers & Hamlins have also done well out of One Barnet billing the Council £152,641.57 in January.
Simply Performance Management Limited billed another £9,200 in January bringing their total fees for the year to date to £44,775. Now what is interesting about this company is that they specialise in Executive Coaching and have billed the Deputy Chief Executive's office. I wonder who needs that much coaching!
In the week when Councillors confirmed the closure of Friern Barnet library it sticks in the gullet of many decent people in Barnet that the council should be squandering so much money on consultants for a strategy which still seems both unproven and high risk.
Thursday, 23 February 2012
One Barnet Outsourcing - Another Casualty
News reaches the Bloggers of Barnet that poor old FM Conway have dropped out of the bidding process for Development and Regulatory Services contract.
"The council has received confirmation that EC Harris is now the sole partner in the EC Harris and FM Conway consortium, as FM Conway has decided to withdraw from the process. EC Harris is one of the short listed bidders for the Development and Regulatory Services (DRS) project, the other being Capita Symonds".
I wonder how many other One Barnet watchers are speculating long it will be before EC Harris read the writing on the wall and see that Capita are now a shoo in for the contract.
"The council has received confirmation that EC Harris is now the sole partner in the EC Harris and FM Conway consortium, as FM Conway has decided to withdraw from the process. EC Harris is one of the short listed bidders for the Development and Regulatory Services (DRS) project, the other being Capita Symonds".
I wonder how many other One Barnet watchers are speculating long it will be before EC Harris read the writing on the wall and see that Capita are now a shoo in for the contract.
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
East Barnet shops put at risk for £1,000 a year
Last night's cabinet meeting was a tragedy. All the local residents who have been working hard on alternative options to the closure of Friern Barnet Library were dismissed out of hand. Cllr Rams had tweeted earlier in the day that the decision to close Friern Barnet Library was made last year. Why then, asked one of the residents, had they encouraged them to come up with alternative plans. Good question no real response. Why is Friern Barnet Libraray being treated differently from Hampstead Garden Suburb Library. Hmm. Doesn't need a genius to guess the answer to that one.
Residents opposed to private events in public parks, dismissed. Budget cuts nodded through.
Sadly for East Barnet is was confirmed last night, in the response to a question put forward by Barnet Bugle proprietor Dan Hope, that parking charges will be introduced in Church Hill Road car park. The income generated from introducing charges in 6 currently free car parks is only £6,000 a year, an average of just £1,000 a year from each car park. So do you think that this will help the traders in East Barnet village at a time when so many shops are struggling. I don't think so! Two East Barnet Councillors sit on the cabinet and have agreed the introduction of these charges. Cllr's Joanna Tambourides and Robert Rams should hang their heads in shame, oh no sorry they don't do shame. That was quite apparent last night.
Residents opposed to private events in public parks, dismissed. Budget cuts nodded through.
Sadly for East Barnet is was confirmed last night, in the response to a question put forward by Barnet Bugle proprietor Dan Hope, that parking charges will be introduced in Church Hill Road car park. The income generated from introducing charges in 6 currently free car parks is only £6,000 a year, an average of just £1,000 a year from each car park. So do you think that this will help the traders in East Barnet village at a time when so many shops are struggling. I don't think so! Two East Barnet Councillors sit on the cabinet and have agreed the introduction of these charges. Cllr's Joanna Tambourides and Robert Rams should hang their heads in shame, oh no sorry they don't do shame. That was quite apparent last night.
Monday, 20 February 2012
Open Letter to Richard Cornelius and Nick Walkley from the Barnet Bloggers
Set out below is an open letter to The Chief Executive and Leader of Barnet Council. This matter has been brought to the attention of the Barnet Bloggers but such is the concern that issues like this may get 'buried' because of the current outsourcing process, that we have taken the step of publishing this letter on our blogs.
Dear Mr Cornelius and Mr Walkley,
We would like to draw to your attention the following information, and ask you to respond to some questions on a matter that we consider to be of serious public concern.
We have reason to believe that a Private Company registered as FINANCE MATTERS FOR SCHOOLS LIMITED http://companycheck.co.uk/company/07814930
may have been formed with the intention of securing contracts with schools that currently purchase financial services from the Council.
We understand that all three Directors may be current employees of the Council.
First can you confirm that all three of these Directors are indeed Council employees?
If not then the rest of our questions are not applicable.
If this is indeed the case, we would like to ask the following questions:
- Are these individuals currently employed by the authority?
- If one or more of these Directors are Council employees, can you confirm that it is not a breach of any regulations for employees to set up a private company whilst still being paid by the Council that will deal directly with services directly associated with their current employment?
- Furthermore please confirm that they may continue to have access to confidential data, and that this would not secure unfair advantage over any other possible bidders for these services?
- Do you know how many Barnet schools have given notice that they are terminating their contracts with Barnet Council Financial Services?
- When did they give notice of termination?
- What reason did they give for termination?
- How many schools have signed contracts with FINANCE MATTERS FOR SCHOOLS LIMITED?
- Were any senior managers including the section 151 officer aware of this company
- Have there been public and private discussions amongst senior managers on the creation of this new company within the Council?
We understand that Financial Services to schools are included in the NSCSO One Barnet bundle of services.
It would seem extraordinary, therefore, to us as residents, that council staff could allegedly be openly touting for business during the Competitive Dialogue process, and we would ask you to confirm that an urgent investigation should take place, and that you can assure us that all four bidders will be informed that such an investigation is in progress.
Yours sincerely,
Derek Dishman
John Dix
Vicki Morris
Theresa Musgrove
Roger Tichborne
Dear Mr Cornelius and Mr Walkley,
We would like to draw to your attention the following information, and ask you to respond to some questions on a matter that we consider to be of serious public concern.
We have reason to believe that a Private Company registered as FINANCE MATTERS FOR SCHOOLS LIMITED http://companycheck.co.uk/company/07814930
may have been formed with the intention of securing contracts with schools that currently purchase financial services from the Council.
We understand that all three Directors may be current employees of the Council.
First can you confirm that all three of these Directors are indeed Council employees?
If not then the rest of our questions are not applicable.
If this is indeed the case, we would like to ask the following questions:
- Are these individuals currently employed by the authority?
- If one or more of these Directors are Council employees, can you confirm that it is not a breach of any regulations for employees to set up a private company whilst still being paid by the Council that will deal directly with services directly associated with their current employment?
- Furthermore please confirm that they may continue to have access to confidential data, and that this would not secure unfair advantage over any other possible bidders for these services?
- Do you know how many Barnet schools have given notice that they are terminating their contracts with Barnet Council Financial Services?
- When did they give notice of termination?
- What reason did they give for termination?
- How many schools have signed contracts with FINANCE MATTERS FOR SCHOOLS LIMITED?
- Were any senior managers including the section 151 officer aware of this company
- Have there been public and private discussions amongst senior managers on the creation of this new company within the Council?
We understand that Financial Services to schools are included in the NSCSO One Barnet bundle of services.
It would seem extraordinary, therefore, to us as residents, that council staff could allegedly be openly touting for business during the Competitive Dialogue process, and we would ask you to confirm that an urgent investigation should take place, and that you can assure us that all four bidders will be informed that such an investigation is in progress.
Yours sincerely,
Derek Dishman
John Dix
Vicki Morris
Theresa Musgrove
Roger Tichborne
Saturday, 18 February 2012
More Bad News at Southwest One - Perhaps Barnet Should Take Note
Southwest One, a joint venture between Somerset County Council, Taunton Deane Borough Council, Avon and Somerset Police and IBM appears to be in yet more trouble.
In a speech given by Ken Maddock, Leader of Somerset County Council this week to the full council he roundly condemned the failings of Southwest One:
"As an administration we inherited a partnership that promised a huge amount, but it was not delivering. Southwest One’s accounts year on year show losses, staggering losses just published of £31million, and failures to hit modest savings targets. We have bent over backwards to try to make this partnership work, but we have to state clearly that our primary duty in looking after the public’s hard earned money is to make sure we get the best possible deals, that we get the best possible value for the public’s money. I have to say that Southwest One is failing this test.
We are currently looking at all our services and all our contracts to see whether we are doing the best we can for our customers, whether we are providing the best possible services for our customers and at the best possible prices for our customers. I have to say that Southwest One is failing this test.
We need a council that can cope with future government cuts and rising demand. We will need to be efficient and flexible. I have to say that Southwest One is failing this test.
Sadly, Southwest One is failing. It is failing to deliver promised savings; failing to cope with a changing financial landscape; failing to be flexible enough to adapt in challenging times and provide the best possible value for money. To make up for this failure, we will now accelerate our extensive review of everything that the council does.
Almost half our most vital services are carried out by private sector or not for profit organisations – we will look to increase this where appropriate. We will encourage social enterprises, partnerships, communities and voluntary groups to get more involved in what we do and what we run. We will look to put the customer at the heart of what we do. And we will do this whilst we continue to do all we can to make Southwest One work. But I have to be clear; it is failing; it is inflexible; and it is intransigent. We are therefore looking at all the options available to us.
I do have one final message for Southwest One – and that is to the staff and our Somerset County Council colleagues and secondees working there. The message is this - this continuing failure is not about you; it is about the contract, the complications, the failed technology, the missed opportunities, the lack of promised savings. It is about Southwest One itself, not about the people working for it."
Now this is coming from the CONSERVATIVE Leader of the Council.
Most sensible people would check to see is mass outsourcing is a good idea by talking to other people before signing up for a £1 billion contract. If I were Cllr Richard Cornelius I would be on the phone to Ken Maddock on Monday morning to double check if all the advice being fed by the numerous consultants advisors and senior officers is realistic or just plain b***s***. Experience at Somerset would suggest the latter is the case.
In a speech given by Ken Maddock, Leader of Somerset County Council this week to the full council he roundly condemned the failings of Southwest One:
"As an administration we inherited a partnership that promised a huge amount, but it was not delivering. Southwest One’s accounts year on year show losses, staggering losses just published of £31million, and failures to hit modest savings targets. We have bent over backwards to try to make this partnership work, but we have to state clearly that our primary duty in looking after the public’s hard earned money is to make sure we get the best possible deals, that we get the best possible value for the public’s money. I have to say that Southwest One is failing this test.
We are currently looking at all our services and all our contracts to see whether we are doing the best we can for our customers, whether we are providing the best possible services for our customers and at the best possible prices for our customers. I have to say that Southwest One is failing this test.
We need a council that can cope with future government cuts and rising demand. We will need to be efficient and flexible. I have to say that Southwest One is failing this test.
Sadly, Southwest One is failing. It is failing to deliver promised savings; failing to cope with a changing financial landscape; failing to be flexible enough to adapt in challenging times and provide the best possible value for money. To make up for this failure, we will now accelerate our extensive review of everything that the council does.
Almost half our most vital services are carried out by private sector or not for profit organisations – we will look to increase this where appropriate. We will encourage social enterprises, partnerships, communities and voluntary groups to get more involved in what we do and what we run. We will look to put the customer at the heart of what we do. And we will do this whilst we continue to do all we can to make Southwest One work. But I have to be clear; it is failing; it is inflexible; and it is intransigent. We are therefore looking at all the options available to us.
I do have one final message for Southwest One – and that is to the staff and our Somerset County Council colleagues and secondees working there. The message is this - this continuing failure is not about you; it is about the contract, the complications, the failed technology, the missed opportunities, the lack of promised savings. It is about Southwest One itself, not about the people working for it."
Now this is coming from the CONSERVATIVE Leader of the Council.
Most sensible people would check to see is mass outsourcing is a good idea by talking to other people before signing up for a £1 billion contract. If I were Cllr Richard Cornelius I would be on the phone to Ken Maddock on Monday morning to double check if all the advice being fed by the numerous consultants advisors and senior officers is realistic or just plain b***s***. Experience at Somerset would suggest the latter is the case.
Friday, 17 February 2012
Self Employed Senior Council Officers - Time Is Up For This Tax Wheeze
The big concern about full time staff being paid as consultants continues to rumble on. This morning the Daily Telegraph reports on consultants being paid £350 and £375 a day for their services. Sounds cheap to me compared to the rates that are being paid to the numerous consultants in Barnet.
Barnet’s own annual accounts for 2010/11 identifies 9 senior officers who are paid as consultants, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. I have seen the invoices to some of these consultants and the fees are quite shocking. A consultant who comes in, does a discrete piece of work and leaves moving on to the next project is one thing. But what we have in Barnet are people who have been working full time for over a year in a designated council post.
Since it was discovered that the head of the Student Loans Company was a self employed consultant, this issue has gained some publicity but the Bloggers of Barnet have been going on about this issue for a very long time and have been completely ignored. Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs have a very useful tool on their website - Employment Status Indicator - which helps to establish whether someone is an employee or a self employed in the eyes of the tax authorities and it is obvious to me that many of these consultants are technically employees. As well as avoiding tax this situation creates liabilities for Barnet Council which, according to the HMRC website includes the ability of these consultants to claim redundancy and claim for unfair dismissal.
The time has come for Barnet to put its house in order and regularise the employment stays of its many ‘consultants’ and if councillors or the chief executive won’t initiate this process then it is about time that Eric Pickle did.
Barnet’s own annual accounts for 2010/11 identifies 9 senior officers who are paid as consultants, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. I have seen the invoices to some of these consultants and the fees are quite shocking. A consultant who comes in, does a discrete piece of work and leaves moving on to the next project is one thing. But what we have in Barnet are people who have been working full time for over a year in a designated council post.
Since it was discovered that the head of the Student Loans Company was a self employed consultant, this issue has gained some publicity but the Bloggers of Barnet have been going on about this issue for a very long time and have been completely ignored. Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs have a very useful tool on their website - Employment Status Indicator - which helps to establish whether someone is an employee or a self employed in the eyes of the tax authorities and it is obvious to me that many of these consultants are technically employees. As well as avoiding tax this situation creates liabilities for Barnet Council which, according to the HMRC website includes the ability of these consultants to claim redundancy and claim for unfair dismissal.
The time has come for Barnet to put its house in order and regularise the employment stays of its many ‘consultants’ and if councillors or the chief executive won’t initiate this process then it is about time that Eric Pickle did.
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