This morning I sent the following email to every Barnet Councillor. I wonder how many will have the good manners to respond.
--------------------------------------------------
Dear Barnet Councillor
On Saturday morning, I attended a Mill Hill ward
councillors surgery, with two of my ward Councillors, Sury Khatri and John Hart.
It became apparent that Councillors Khatri and Hart, had not been fully briefed
on all of the risks and issues with the One Barnet program, or as to the
viability of the alternatives. I am not criticising the councillors, as they
were open to reasonable discussion and seemed genuinely concerned about some of
the points raised by myself and other local people.
As Councillor Hart is perhaps the most experienced
in Barnet and Councillor Khatri is one of the most intelligent (no disrespect to
anyone else), it is clear that officers are not sharing all of the information
necessary to make an informed decision. Indeed I was rather shocked that as a
blogger, I seemed better informed about the risks and downsides than our elected
representatives. Councillor Khatri expressed the view that there were other
councillors within the Conservative group with reservations about the process.
It is clear to me that many other councillors would
have reservations, if the full facts were discussed in a proper manner in a calm
and rational manner. Fellow Barnet blogger, John Dix, is an expert in the matter
of outsourcing, and worked for a major firm involved in this business for many
years. As we approach the time when a decision is required, I would strongly
suggest that Mr Dix gives all councillors a full private briefing as to the
risks. That way, the Council could make a properly informed decision.
Mr Dix is not a member of a trades union or a
natural anti council campaigner. He is well informed and can explain many of the
problems, which it is clear have not been fully discussed.
I ask you to consider the fact that Barnet Council
CEO Nick Walkley has left the council suddenly, for a far less high profile and
less well paid job. This cannot be seen as anything other than a most ominous
sign that he has no faith that the program would be the glistening high point on
his CV, that he had previously assumed.
Barnet Council states in the One Barnet guiding
principles that consultation with the community is a major principle of the
program. Surely the way to demonstrate this is to invite Mr Dix in to address
you and discuss the problems he has diagnosed with the program.
As I explained to the venerable Mill Hill
Councillors, my family moved to the London Borough of Barnet in 1937, we have
run businesses in Barnet since 1946, my children attend schools in the Borough
and my parents and grandparents are buried here. I am writing this purely out of
concern for the wellbeing of my home town. I am highly concerned about handing
over huge amounts of control to multinational companies who purely see Barnet
and its taxpayers as a cash cow to be milked.
Regards
Roger Tichborne
No comments:
Post a Comment