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What’s going on in Barnet?

Monday, 01 December 2008 14:04

What’s going on in the London Borough of Barnet? The local papers are full of news about plans for possible wholesale privatisation of services under the Tory council. Barnet unions are deeply concerned.

The Labour group warns that a plan that services such as refuse collection, parks maintenance and the upkeep of roads could be managed and delivered by a joint venture between the council and private enterprise, or a private company on its own have “mass privatisation written all over it.”

The plans are due to be discussed by ruling Tory councillors at a meeting of Barnet’s Cabinet on Wednesday.

We’ve already seen what a Tory administration can mean from the example of Hammersmith, where the borough has been attacking services, pay and conditions and driving back progress on delivering affordable housing.

Now right-wing Barnet is opening up a new front with its Future Shape model for outsourcing.

Barnet, remember, is the borough whose elected members include Boris Johnson’s fire authority chair Brian Coleman. The Future Shape process has been developed under Barnet’s Chief Executive, Leo Boland, who is moving to replace Anthony Mayer at the Greater London Authority.

We’ll be keeping an eye on this story and others like it from the London Tory boroughs, not least because they show how little the Conservative Party has really changed.