Information about my work as a Labour Councillor for East Finchley in the London Borough of Barnet

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Another contracting problem

Mrs Angry has an interesting post about the failure of streetlight contracting.

My predecessor Andrew McNeil had a particular gipe a few years ago when a whole load of lamposts were relocated without much thought or consultation. Now we see that a law firm have been paid £75,000 to help write a contract, nd the ocuncil have to go back to them to get help because it was written badly.

These kind of basic errors in contracting will become a regular feature of One Barnet. In time, the entire council will be outsourced, and contracted out. Given the frequent contracting problems the council have had, you shudder to think what could go wrong on a £1 billion deal. If this is the future, it ain't pretty. I can't imagine what would happen if there are problems with the management of social care, planning and legal advice. it would be humiliating for the council, and give us a bad reputation as an easy touch for companies with less scruples.