Search Results for: one barnet

When Barnet Council decided to embark on its mass outsourcing policy back in 2008, Barnet UNISON made a decision to enlist the support of the Professor Dexter Whitfield to help provide an analysis in order to try and engage in the process. Whilst the One Barnet mass outsourcing is now in its fifth year and the Council continues to embrace the political dogma of outsourcing, we are starting to see some of the earlier One Barnet outsourcing projects enter into difficulty. In this case it is the One Barnet Your Choice which was the first One Barnet project to be outsourced in February 2012.

The success of the Your Choice One Barnet Project was predicated on growth even though throughout the process no evidence was produced to substantiate these claims.

Below are a collection of extracts from all three reports produced by Dexter Whitfield on behalf of Barnet UNISON.

Links to the three reports are at the end.

2010

“The Adult Services option appraisal is limited in scope and depth of analysis and does not provide an acceptable evidence base on which to make fundamental decisions about the future provision of the services. The Council has a fiduciary duty to safeguard the public interest in the management of public services and assets and an obligation to maintain the integrity of the options appraisal and procurement processes. The Adult Social Care In-House Provider Services options appraisal fails to meet these obligations and responsibilities.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield, Barnet UNISON  2010)

“If the Council intends to create the conditions for a repeat of post-transfer Fremantle style changes to terms and conditions then there will almost certainly be strident staff, trade union and community opposition.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2010)

2011

“The LATC is, in effect, a cost cutting mechanism. An arms length trading company, with a proscribed budget, will be the service provider and employer, so the Council can relinquish responsibility for decisions taken by the company.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2011)

“Detailed financial information has been excluded from the final version of the Business Case for no apparent reason.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2011)

“Whilst it is true that in-house services cannot be purchased with a Direct Payment, this is not the case for a Personal Budget. A service user can decide to have part of the Budget used for in-house services and the rest of it paid out as a Direct Payment. Indeed a service user may wish to have none of the Budget paid out as a Direct Payment. These arrangements are already in place in the Council and we have been provided with a breakdown from Adult Social Services demonstrating that all these variations exist.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2011)

“the Council intends to use personal budgets as a market mechanism to manipulate the market. They will be used to drive down costs, primarily, staffing costs, or to increase user charges so that users are forced to ‘pay more for less’.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2011)

“The lack of a market analysis increases the risks for the LATC, service users and staff because a decision is being taken to establish a trading company without a clear understanding of the sector or market within which this company will have to operate.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2011)

 

2012

 “A small reduction in income or an increase in costs will result in substantial losses for Adult Services – the business plan concedes Your Choice company is financially vulnerable. There is no assurance provided on the quality or reliability of data and assumptions used.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2012)

“The policy of self-sustaining services, cost reduction strategies and pressure to maximise income to achieve profits will lead to new and increased charges.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2012)

“Staff will face increased pressure on staffing levels, morale, working practices and terms and conditions, potentially leading to job losses and redundancies.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2012)

Barnet UNISON demand: “The block contract transitional phase for Adult Services should be extended to three years.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2012)

 

“The business case had a number of shortcomings:

• Corporate impact and strategic risks are inadequately addressed.

• Neither a value-for-money assessment nor a sensitivity analysis has been carried out. In addition, a cost benefit appraisal that includes wider impacts (economy, equalities, sustainability, environment) and distributional impacts.

• Fundamental questions and concerns regarding risk assessment, employment issues and equalities policies remain.”

 

“There has been a significant change in the financial forecasts of Adult Services between the business case (approved by Cabinet Resources Committee in May 011) and the publication of the Barnet Group Business Plan in early January 2012, seven months later …… Either gross mistakes were made in the preparation of the business case, or a new series of spending cuts and/or closures are planned to achieve this level of expenditure reduction.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2012)

“The response to the high risks in Your Choice consists of cost reduction programme, deliver quick wins and programme further efficiencies, and close down schemes/services that cannot support themselves financially longer term. All the action in risk management has an April 2013 deadline.” (ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2012)

 

Links

1. ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2010 http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/barnet-adults-options-appraisal%202010.pdf

2. ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2011 http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/analysis-of-business-case-for-local-authority-trading-company%202011.pdf

3. ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2012

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/latc-analysis-2012.pdf

Join us

at the Your Choice Care workers lobby

On Wednesday 29 May at 5.30 pm outside Barnet House, N20

At 6pm we will be attending the Your Choice Board Meeting

This campaign concerns the plight of low paid social care workers facing a massive cut to their pay and terms & conditions. The scale of the attack is unprecedented and will drive already low paid workers further into poverty.

But it is not just the attacks to staff which are our concern, it is the impact this will have on the service delivery to vulnerable adults with disabilities.

UNISON is concerned that by ‘dumbing down’ care work will impact on quality of care as we have seen in the past at the private Winterbourne hospital where profit was put before care of residents.

‘Your Choice’ care workers are carrying out critical and personal care for vulnerable service users; which makes it all the more abhorrent to hear the case for these cuts is driven by the need to make a profit.

During consultation it has been confirmed the finances are worse that we were first led to believe. Apart from the £1million loan from Barnet Homes, they now need to make another £1million from staff costs.

UNISON is campaigning to bring these critical services back into the Council. The more we learn about the finances the more concerned we are. Instead of Barnet Homes spending their reserves on propping up a failed One Barnet project, they should use this money to try and prevent Barnet residents and their families from being moved out of the borough.

Last year the Council made a commitment in their own business case which said if the project failed they would bring it back in house.

Barnet UNISON commissioned Professor Dexter Whitfield to produce an analysis Barnet Councils proposals to outsource adult social care services. Please find links to reports below.

Links

1. ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2010 http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/barnet-adults-options-appraisal%202010.pdf

2. ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2011 http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/analysis-of-business-case-for-local-authority-trading-company%202011.pdf

3. ESSU Dexter Whitfield Barnet UNISON 2012

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/latc-analysis-2012.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘The law is an ass’ – campaigner Maria Nash will continue fight against One Barnet

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/10386204._The_law_is_an_ass____campaigner_will_continue_fight_against_One_Barnet/

High court rejects legal challenge to Barnet’s ‘easyCouncil’ plans

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/apr/29/high-court-challenge-barnet-easycouncil

Barnet Council wins legal victory over outsourcing plans

http://www.localgov.co.uk/index.cfm?method=news.detail&id=109665

 UPDATED: High Court victory for Barnet outsource plan

http://www.lgcplus.com/news/updated-high-court-victory-for-barnet-outsource-plan/5058016.article?blocktitle=Latest-Local-Government-News&contentID=2249

 Judge rejects One Barnet judicial review

http://www.barnet-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=14064&headline=Judge%20rejects%20One%20Barnet%20judicial%20review

 Barnet outsourcing campaigners appeal judge ruling

http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240182801/Barnet-outsourcing-campaigners-appeal-judge-ruling

 High Court rejects judical review of One Barnet outsourcing programme by disabled pensioner

http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/high_court_rejects_judical_review_of_one_barnet_outsourcing_programme_by_disabled_pensioner_1_2172297

 Barnet Borough Council wins One Barnet judicial review

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/10385886.Barnet_Borough_Council_wins_One_Barnet_judicial_review/

This campaign concerns the plight of low paid social care workers facing a massive cut to their pay and terms & conditions. The scale of the attack is unprecedented and will drive already low paid workers further into poverty.

But it is not just the attacks to staff which are our concern, it is the impact this will have on the service delivery to vulnerable adults with disabilities.

UNISON is concerned that by ‘dumbing down’ care work will impact on quality of care as we have seen in the past at the private Winterbourne hospital where profit was put before care of residents.

‘Your Choice’ care workers are carrying out critical and personal care for vulnerable service users; which makes it all the more abhorrent to hear the case for these cuts is driven by the need to make a profit.

At a meeting with staff last week, it now appears the finances are worse that we were first led to believe. Apart from the £1million loan from Barnet Homes, they now need to make another £1million from staff costs. This makes a total of £2million out of a budget of £6million.

UNISON is campaigning to bring these critical services back into the Council. The more we learn about the finances the more concerned we are. Instead of Barnet Homes spending their reserves on propping up a failed One Barnet project, they should use this money to try and prevent Barnet residents and their families from being moved out of the borough.

Last year the Council made a commitment in their own business case which said if the project failed they would bring it back in house.

Please help  

1. Sign the Your Choice Care Workers Campaign petition which is on Barnet Council website

http://petitions.barnet.gov.uk/YourChoiceBack/

2. Send messages of support to Your Choice Care Workers Campaign to contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

3. Join the Your Choice Care Workers on BarnetSpring march on Saturday 23, 11am Finchley Central Tube

Links

Castlebeck care homes go into administration following abuse scandal

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21674695

Southern Cross set to shut down and stop running homes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14102750

Lessons from the Francis Inquiry

http://ning.it/15erEcp

 

What are YOU eating????????

First it was horsemeat instead of beef, then it was pork instead of beef, then it was donkey instead of beef, then they started accusing other countries outside the UK , then they realised it could be happening inside the UK!

This story is going to grow and grow. No doubt there will be a public inquiry, MP’s will be asked to resign, and private companies will be summoned to explain themselves to a Parliamentary Select Committee.

It is blatantly obvious that there is little or no scrutiny of the meat/food processing for public consumption and the consequences of this are being played out in the national media.

After carrying out a study entitled ‘The Damage’ into the impact of the Cuts on vital council services UNISON wrote to councillors across the UK

The first two reports are available to read online below:  

1. Environmental health:

Summary report

Full survey report

Statistical report

2. Trading standards:

Summary report

Full survey report

Statistical report

Barnet ‘Commissioning/EasyCouncil’ as part of the One Barnet Programme is about to hand over its Regulatory Services, including Environmental Health & Trading Standards over to the private sector.

The above UNISON reports reinforce Barnet UNISON’s view that outsourcing of regulatory services to the private sector is simply wrong and a could have a critical impact on the health and well being of the residents of London Borough of Barnet. 

Three simple things for you to help our campaign.

1. Please sign our Avaaz Petition – Stop the privatisation of Regulatory Services

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_the_privatisation_of_Regulatory_Services/?tFMrBab

2. Please sign our London Borough of Barnet Petition – Stop the privatisation of Regulatory Services http://petitions.barnet.gov.uk/NoOutSourcingDRS/

3.  Please join the Barnet Spring March click here for details

“The Commissioning Council- It’s what it says on the Tin!”

There has been a lot of talk about what is Commissioning Council means. What it really means is the Council moves to a strategic commissioning role and away from delivering services.  

In the last 12 months we have seen the following services leave the council

·         Residential/ Supporting Living/ Day care services for adults with disabilities

·         Council Housing Services

·         Parking Service

·         Legal Services Department

·         Audit Service – the majority of the service is provided by the consultancy Pricewaterhouse & Cooper

The next big tranche of Council services are New Support Customer Services Organisation (NSCSO)

Which involves the following services

·         Information Technology 

·         Human Resources & Payroll

·         Pensions

·         Health & Safety

·         Financial Services

·         Customer Services (Call Centre) which includes Social Care Direct Team             based in Adult Social Care.

·         Estates, Property Services

·         Revenues & Benefits

·         Corporate Programmes (Project management)

·         Procurement

·         Electoral Registration

These Council services are closely followed by Development and Regulatory Services (DRS):

·         Trading Standards & Licensing,

·         Land Charges,

·         Planning & Development,

·         Building Control & Structures,

·         Environmental Health,

·         Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration,

·         Strategic Planning & Regeneration,

·         Hendon Cemetery & Crematoria.

·         Priority Intervention Team

Music Service is going out early 2013.

Public Health Service – This critical responsibility was recently handed to Local Authorities. The staff have only recently arrived in the Council for the NHS only to hear Barnet have decided to transfer them out of Council control. 

 

The next stage of One Barnet is called Wave Two

1. Street Scene Services.

The decision to keep these services in-house was agreed at a Cabinet briefing at the ‘eleventh’ hour. Brent Council had announced in their executive meeting that they were going to carry out a joint procurement of Street Scenes with Barnet Council. The recycling service is being brought back in-house next year because the council will gain all of the financial benefits. The decision to bring this service back in-house was always the plan even if they had gone ahead with the joint privatisation with Brent.

2. Registrars Service

At the Cabinet Resources Committee on 17 December councillors are going to consider service delivery options for this service.

Incredibly they are now looking at Children’s social work.

Have you noticed a theme emerging?

When services are being reviewed, the question being asked is not if we (Barnet Council) can do them better ourselves but WHO can deliver them instead of the Council.

This is what a Commissioning Council looks like.

This is why the Council is breaking up the staffing structure and issuing redundancies.

This is why in-house staff are being referred to as delivery units!

The key message Council staff are getting is that the Council does not want them and are desperately seeking other organisations to take them on. What we have seen with the NSCSO project has reinforced this view and it seems the Council are unconcerned about the numbers of redundancies it brings. 

Dear Councillors

 

On Thursday 22 November the report naming the preferred bidder for NSCSO is to be published.

 

I want to take an opportunity to provide you all with a real example of a Public Sector Comparator (internal improvement plan) looks like in practice.

 

You should all be aware that the One Barnet Programme has not followed best practice in adopting a Public Sector Comparator alongside the Competitive Dialogue Process.

 

This enclosed report from Edinburgh Council (to view click here) provides an insight into how a complex procurement process has been open to public scrutiny and information has been shared with councillors and key stakeholders.

 

The key elements coming out of this report include :

 

1. Scrutiny

Under paragraph 4.9 the report refers to Gateway Reviews being carried out throughout the lifetime of the procurement process.

 

1.1  Have there been any such reviews to provide robust independent assurance to guide ‘councillors’ in Barnet Council?

1.2  If so, have they been made available to councillors?

 

2. Independent Validation

In 5.3 of the report KPMG recognises the importance of the public sector comparator and the report concludes:

 

“KPMG were commissioned to assess the deliverability and associated risks and benefits of the internal improvement plan or public sector comparator. The review concluded that, whilst the public sector comparator provided a legitimate comparison for the purposes of the procurement process, that further work was required to develop the vision into a robust design and deliverable plan.”

 

2.1 On what grounds was the inclusion of a public sector comparator ruled out of procurement process?

 

3. Information to councillors

 

In the case in Edinburgh councillors were independently informed of the critical risks around procurement savings under paragraph 4.11 of the report where it states:

 

“The latest review has also highlighted the risks identified at 4.7 associated with Capita’s procurement savings proposals. The Gateway Review emphasises the importance of a robust risk assessment of both the internal and external proposals.

 

The Capita Bid provides greater savings but the councillors were informed under the Risk section about the critical risks for the deliverability of savings including the following:

·         “Complex commercial mechanisms for calculation and delivery of savings expose the Council to significant risks that may have financial or operational impact

 

·         Realisation of procurement savings has significant dependency on services in other areas of the Council which are not directly influenceable by either the Partner or the Intelligent Client Function

 

·         External changes to implement Universal Credit represents major service change that will require early and effective management.”

 

3.1 Have councillors been provided with the risks to the deliverability of the savings as provided to Edinburgh Councillors included in Appendix 2

 

Recommendation:

 

Councillors are unable to take an informed decision about the NSCSO contract award until the following has been completed.

 

·         Public sector comparator for NSCSO is completed to compare alongside the preferred bidders solution

·         Independent validation of the deliverability of savings and assessment of associated risks

·         Comprehensive series of Gateway Reviews for NSCSO       

Public Services are littered with broken promises, contact variations and changes which always end up costing the tax payer more.

 

 

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

To view story click here

 

 

 

Dear Councillor,

 

REMINDER INVITATION TO A PRESENTATION BY UNISON ON THE FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATORY SERVICES (DRS) AND THE NEW SUPPORT AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT ORGANISATION (NSCSO) IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BARNET

 

In a few weeks time on 6 December the Council’s Cabinet will take a decision on award of a contract for the New Support and Customer Support Organisation (NSCSO.) The options they are likely to be presented with is to award the ten year contract to a consortium comprising BT and EC Harris or one comprising Capita and Barnet Homes, although the decision not to award to either or to defer decision are options still available. The award could result in several hundred jobs being lost out of the borough to elsewhere in the UK.

 

A month later on 8 January the Cabinet will take a similar decision on award of the Development and Regulatory Services contract (DRS). The options this time will be to award to either Capita Symonds or EC Harris, but in addition will probably include a proposal for the Council to enter a joint venture with the recommended bidder. These decisions are very high risk for the Council, they involve many of the critical statutory services for which the Council is held responsible under law. Moreover, joint ventures are both notoriously problematic for public bodies, shifting the financial and statutory risk to them for minimal benefit whilst taking accountability away from locally elected councillors. Again, options will remain for the Cabinet to decide not to award the contract, or to defer decision.

 

These are complex and difficult decisions for the council and UNISON, the public service union, is concerned that elected members are given every opportunity to understand and explore these before decisions are taken. For this reason UNISON cordially invites you to a presentation and discussion on Wednesday 14 November at Hendon Town Hall, Committee Room 1, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm.

The presentation will seek to explain the contract procurement process, including the option of setting up a  joint venture and the risks that the Council is taking in awarding these contracts to external companies. It will also provide opportunities for discussion and explore the options open to the Council at this late stage.

 

UNISON is seeking a genuine dialogue with elected members on the One Barnet Project, particularly concerning the capacity for LB Barnet to run such a large scale out sourcing project and the potential risks associated with it. Our concerns are practical, at heart concerns for the quality and value of services to council tax payers and for the reputation of the council, not ideological.

 

UNISON would very much appreciate you taking the time to hear what we have to say and discuss these issues with us. All elected members of the Council are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be available at the start of the meeting.

Please RSVP to Julie Woods, UNISON Regional Office on 0207 535 6564 or alternatively you can email j.woods@unison.co.uk

 

Yours sincerely

 

Linda Perks

Regional Secretary

UNISON GLR

 

 

 

Dear Councillors

(to view click here)

Today I am submitting a briefing put together by a Barnet resident who very much cares like all of you about the borough and I know wants to work with the Council to make it a better place.

 

Some of you may know him as John Dix and others as Mr Reasonable.

 

The briefing below tackles an issue often quoted by councillors as the reason for the One Barnet Programme. I have heard councillors mention the ‘Graph of Doom’ to me many times.

 

I am referring to what has become nationally known as the ‘Graph of Doom’. Whilst I do not like the title as it reinforces a negative image of older adults, I think the Council must be applauded for bringing the issue of funding for older people to the national media attention.  If the issue of ‘Fairer Funding’ as identified in Dilnot report is going to be addressed it is going to have to happen at a national level and all political parties are going to have to come to an agreement.

 

The ‘Graph of Doom’ as probably many of you know was based on a whole set of assumptions. Unfortunately, until now nobody seems to have challenged these assumptions.

 

I would urge all of you to read this briefing.  

 

Link to the Dilnot Report: http://www.dilnotcommission.dh.gov.uk/our-report/

 

As ever if there is a point of clarification or concern please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON