Saved from outsourcing: Barnet street scene

Wonderful news this afternoon that Barnet Council's street scene - parks, street cleaning, etc - are not now likely to go out to tender. We had thought they would be the third big contract in the One Barnet outsourcing programme. It looks now as though these services will continue to be delivered by the in-house team.

The Barnet Tories are meeting tonight to consider whether to allow disgraced Cllr Brian Coleman to remain among their number. They will also be smarting from the impact of the decision to ditch the Arts Depot 'landmark library'.

To recapture some credibility among Barnet voters, let's hope that they see sense and resolve to put a halt also to the enormous New Support and Customer Services Organisation (worth £750 million to BT or Capita) and Development and Regulatory Services outsourcing (worth £275 million to EC Harris or Capita Symonds).

Here is the Labour Group's response to the news about street scene:

Following news that the Barnet's Cabinet are being recommended to go for an in-house service for waste and green spaces, leader of the Barnet Labour Group, Cllr Alison Moore said:

“I welcome the news that the council have decided to go for an in-house option to deliver the future waste and green spaces services. I see this as a complete departure from the significant risks being taken in the two other One Barnet outsourcings - the Cabinet report actually outlines the high risk associated with outsourcing waste and green spaces as a reason for not going with the joint procurement option with other councils. The Conservative administration should now really take a fresh look at the DRS and NSCSO outsourcings before they risk the £1billion of council tax payers’ money that is involved there.

A link to the CRC report can be found here: http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s6218/CRC_Waste%20and%20Street%20Scene_Report%20Final.pdf

The extract on risk in the report is reproduced here:

"9.4 It should be noted that Council officers also gave considerable consideration to a shared outsource model with other three other London boroughs. Although the option presented the Council with an exciting opportunity the confidence rating, based on level of risk, was considered high. This risk level has been kept under constant review by officers and it is considered that the level was too significant to make it a viable option at this time."

Cllr Moore is requesting a copy of the risk assessment.