One Barnet: There Are Bad Times Just Around the Corner

Oh dear.

It seems there may be trouble in the house of One Barnet, as if we didn't know it already, of course. 

Out of all the speculation surrounding the sudden departure of Barnet's Chief Executive, Nick Walkley, an inescapable suspicion has arisen: is there a disagreement, somewhere, over the final decision to award the prize to the salivating bidders waiting to get their teeth into our council services?

Mrs Angry has noted some interesting visits to her blog in the last day or so, including lots of sudden interest in her posts re BT eg

http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/only-connect-bt-and-cult-of-vital_14.html

and then today this:

Capita Business Services (194.205.13.211) [Label IP Address]
wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/pulling-out-at-last-minute-strategic.html
www.bing.com/search?q=barnet council contract BT&src=IE-SearchBox&Form=IE8SRC

Follow the link to the post in June and you will find tragic tales of outsourcing processes which have gone horribly wrong, most notably right at the last stage of the negotiations, as in the Capita bid to run Edinburgh's services ... this bid was unceremoniously dumped in a panic at the end of the process because, as a council's report observed, it had:

"... potential to expose the Council to significant risks and potential unforeseen consequences, both financially and operationally."

 ... and of course it exposed the councillors to enormous political and electoral risk, just as One Barnet will seal the fate of this lunatic Tory council in 2014, if it goes ahead.

A source within the council has reminded Mrs Angry of this exchange which took place at a Capita briefing with Barnet staff a few months ago:

"A member of staff asked why Sefton Council had decided to end their contract with Capita.

 The Capita Chief executive said it was because the Chief Executive at Sefton Council had been the major force behind the outsourcing but he left when the contract was signed and they suddenly had a senior management team which was not positive about the contract ..." 

 Hmm.

And then we have the example of Suffolk County Council, and the sudden departure of Ms Andrea Hill, and the abandonment of  plans for further mass outsourcing. Capita's Barnet rival, ie BT had a few problems there, with their erm, what's it called ... joint venture, you may remember.

http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/update-suffolk-barnet-bt-last-years.html

Not looking good, is it? 

Still: not to worry. Mr Walkley's departure leaves us in the capable hands of Mr Andrew 'Black Hole' Travers, who will be sure to oversee the handover of our council services with his usual aplomb, and a long record of expertise in accountancy, procurement, tendering and contractual processes. MetPro Audit. Oops: where did that come from? Mrs Angry. Tut, tut.

Here's something to cheer you up, Andrew:

Mrs Angry x

 

*Updated: 

Oh dear again: it seems that Haringey residents are not extending a very warm welcome to their newly appointed Chief Executive, Barnet's departing Mr Nick Walkley, and our local Times paper now reports that a petition has been created to voice their protest:

http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/9973956.Petition_launched_against_appointment_of_Nick_Walkley/?ref=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Of course his appointment has not been officially endorsed yet. 

Keep your fingers crossed, citizens.