A RESIDENT has challenged councillors to back up their claims of £100m worth of savings from the One Barnet programme after finding £11m of mistakes in their latest published accounts.

Last night Barnet Council's decision making arm the cabinet voted unanimously to adopt a new framework for the pioneering project known as easyCouncil.

However, councillors were keen to point out it was not about “outsourcing” but “reconfiguring” the way services and departments are administered.

Barnet resident John Dix, who last week spotted an £11m gap in the council's expenditure accounts between July and September, quizzed councillors on more figures.

He asked how councillors could guarantee the accuracy of the figures, pointing to an inaccuracy of more than £1m in the papers before cabinet which had not been picked up on by officers.

Mr Dix also cited discrepancies between three different council documents showing savings projected for E-recruitment, with one forecasting £150,000, another £221,000 and a third £314,500 savings in 2012/13.

He asked: “Which is the correct figure? Are cabinet members concerned that there appears to be a lack of joined up accounting and is that the sound basis for decision making?”

Assistant chief executive Andrew Travers fielded the question telling Mr Dix: “What I can say is savings in the business plan are to the best of my knowledge, and are consistent with the One Barnet framework and will be checked for consistency during the planning process.”

During the debate on the framework Councillor Andrew Harper said it was not about outsourcing, but making the most of money in a “constrained financial environment”.

Other decisions passed last night include plans to start work on an arms length management company (ALMO) to look after the adult social services' provision.

Councillor Sachin Rajput, who heads up the department, said it was necessary as people would not be able to get their own services directly from the council under new plans for direct personal budget payments.

Under the proposals the new organisation would also take in Barnet Homes, an existing ALMO and the pair would share a chief executive and administrators to save cash.

Plans to streamline the way transport for patients, special needs school buses and the elderly into one contract were also given the go-ahead, in a bid to save cash under the One Barnet banner.