Twitter: Deeply disfunctional Barnet Council slammed by Eric Pickles

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Link to Barnet's later 'Instant Rebuttal' of this news below.

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Linkable version of Twitter details:

@barnetbugle Barnet Bugle

@ericpickles slams easycouncil barnet for procurement fiasco and praises local bloggers for helping expose it #CIPFA2011 (via @Jamesillman)

3 hours ago via Tweetbot for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply

Mentioned in this Tweet

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EricPickles Eric Pickles · Follow

MP for Brentwood & Ongar

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Jamesillman James Illman · Follow

Local Government Chronicle reporter covering all matters #localgov and #localism with a special interest in #localgov finance 

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Updated 4.20pm:
Excerpt of Eric Pickles comment (courtesy James Sillman, Local Government Chronicle):

"I was shocked by a recent case in Barnet.

"The council had hired a private security firm, MetPro, which included 'keeping an eye' on the local armchair auditors and activist bloggers - at a cost of over a million pounds.

"The contract had been awarded without a tendering exercise, without a written contract, and no proper invoicing.

"An internal audit showed there 'serious deficiencies in current procurement arrangements', and there were no guarantees that against a repeat of such practices.

"Irony of ironies - this misuse of public money was uncovered thanks to the determination of local bloggers and activists…

"Including Barnet Eye. Mr Mustard. And Mrs Angry. (As she had every right to be)

"Exactly the same people MetPro snooped upon.

"I’ve got news for Barnet: Liveblogging from council meetings. Microjournalism. Call it what you like.

"It’s here to stay.”

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(And no doubt that applies to the non-geographically-constituted local authority called...  the 'North London Waste Authority'.)