Mike Freer has welcomed Labour’s Local Government task force’s endorsement of Barnet’s Future Shape programme.

The task force, led by Labour Council Leaders Sir Richard Leese and Sir Steve Bullock, published ten tips for councils to reduce costs.  These ten tips are existing parts of Barnet’s Future Shape programme, dubbed ‘easyCouncil’.  The task force’s proposals come months after Barnet published its plans and have been endorsed by the Communities and local government secretary, John Denham.

Mike Freer said, “After months of vilification by Labour nationally, they have quietly adopted our ideas.  Sadly Labour locally remain out of step with their own government.  They remain a roadblock to efficient reform of the council.”

Comments by the task force and the Secretary of State endorse Barnet’s plans for reform:

Sir Steve, elected Mayor of Lewisham, said: “There are real savings that can be made locally by fundamentally changing the way our public services are delivered.”

John Denham, Communities and local government secretary, said, “Councils have some tough choices in the next few years as things become tighter. But that is no reason to lower their sights on service quality people rightly value.

If councils adopt our radical efficiency reforms they can protect our top priority frontline services which matter most to local people.”

The ten tips published by the Labour task force are all included in the original Future Shape report:

•     Council services must be focused on the customer. They come first.
•    Take a Total Place approach to frontline services
•    Make services more efficient - cutting out waste and unnecessary duplication. Especially in two tier areas.
•    Check performance against others and learn from who is doing it better.
•    Buy goods and services in groups and use that buying power to create local benefits and involve the third sector
•    Reduce the number of council buildings by locating more services together.
•    Motivate staff to help to perform to the best of their ability
•    Make managers leaders of innovation to improve services.
•    Streamline management. Consider splitting senior posts with other councils or PCTs.
•    Share professional expertise and ensure council staff are able to be flexibly deployed