Judicial review into outsourcing scheme begins this week (From Times Series)

In a council meeting some months ago, councillors across the parties expressed concerns about the risks of One Barnet, and asked what if it failed? Cornelius said he had no “Plan B”, so One Barnet “had to work” . He looked very worried, admitting that it would be disastrous if it didn’t work.

Instead of consulting with APSE, employees, unions and public to fully explore the implications and risks of One Barnet and the possible alternatives, the cabinet just whipped Tory councillors to vote it in.

Coleman spoke out about his and his colleagues’ concerns about One Barnet, but since then they have all kept silent about any doubts, apparently under the party whip.

It is incredibly reckless to do this massive outsourcing, including laying off staff or forcing them to move away from their homes, without doing a consultation.

The council has a statutory duty to consult. Let’s hope the court makes them do so.

As the council has provided little information on One Barnet, and has refused to do a consultation, worried residents and workers in Barnet organised their own "Question Time" discussion last year, open to all, and invited senior councillors from the three main parties to be on the panel of speakers.

Readers might like to see the video of this: http://www.guardian.
co.uk/commentisfree/
video/2012/nov/14/ba
rnet-outsourcing-eas
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The extent of public concern was demonstrated by the very high turnout: people who could not fit into the large hall had to listen from adjoining rooms and hallways.

The public’s concern has been fuelled by the fact that the councillors who voted in One Barnet admitted that none of them had read the agreement they signed because – at over 2,000 pages - it was too long for them to read, and too complex for them to understand.

Let me try that link again:

http://www.guardian.
co.uk/commentisfree/
video/2012/nov/14/ba
rnet-outsourcing-eas
ycouncil-revolt-vide
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Link not working: sorry. Can be reached by googling the following:

Barnet's outsourcing easyCouncil faces taxpayers' revolt - video

Guardian article 14 Nov 2012.