You might have heard about the G4S scandal (I don't read the Guardian anymore, but it's the only broadsheet/berliner I will link to). The security company have failed their contract with the Olympic games, and now 3,500 troops have been airlifted from Germany to provide menial security at the Games. I had always thought it was a fundamental principal that the armed forces should never be used to maintain law and order, but I suppose directing people to the velodrome isnt the start of millitary government.
What concerns me though, and why it's important to One Barnet, is that this is the sort of contractual failure that characterises One Barnet. But at least in this case, the British Army is left to pick up the pieces. Imagine if the outsourced planning department failed, like Bradford Education did. Who would clear it up? Well Barnet taxpayers financially, but can you really piece togerther a new planning department just like that? I don't think so. One Barnet removes our capacity to provide any in house services, or to bring them back- we won't have the expertise to run it because all the officrs will be gone.
What if this happened to adult social care services? or education? I suppose we wouldn't notice the difference if it was parking though...
It's not too late to reverse this, think again.
