Title

BUSINESS

London council votes to end mass outsourcing by 2026

Barnet LBC has voted to end its 10-year outsourcing contract with Capita, bringing services back in-house by 2026.

Barnet LBC has voted to end its 10-year outsourcing contract with Capita, bringing services back in-house by 2026.

Most privatised frontline services - including highways and planning - will return under direct control of the council next year.

However, Barnet will extend the contract for services that are harder to bring back straight away such as IT and customer services until March 2026 to avoid redundancies and save £254,000.

Council leader Barry Rawlings said: 'This is the first major step we have taken to bring privatised services back in-house and shows our commitment to providing value-for-money for all our residents.

'Most of the services outsourced by the previous administration will be back under direct council control by next year.

'The decision to run services in-house will save Barnet's council taxpayers money and return 370 staff to direct employment by the council.

'The remaining Capita contract, CSG, will close by 2026, before the end of our administration's first term.'

The council first awarded Capita the 10-year contract back in 2013, covering services such as HR, finance, IT, estates, customer services, and the revenues and benefits service.

Barnet then formed the Regional Enterprise partnership with Capita to run services including highways, planning, regeneration and development, and environmental health.

A Capita spokesperson said: 'In the last nine years, our teams have successfully delivered a range of key services in Barnet.

'The extension on other services will see us build on our track record of delivery and save Barnet LBC £254,000, as well as preventing £2.6m in additional costs per year.'

BUSINESS

Riordan: My love for sector won't stop me telling local government if it needs to change

By Dan Peters | 01 October 2026

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) top mandarin has told officials his love for the sector will not stop him delivering hard...

BUSINESS

Solving the housing crisis is key to social and environmental justice in London

By Zoë Garbett | 30 September 2026

With the Green Party conference set to take place on 2-4 October in Brighton, Zoë Garbett says housing pressures are intensifying across London, requiring st...

BUSINESS

Downgrading councils who use illegal children's homes holds sector to 'unattainable standard'

By Ann McGauran | 29 September 2026

Ofsted proposals to downgrade councils that use unregistered placements would hold local authorities (LAs) to an ‘unattainable standard’, children’s care chi...

BUSINESS

Devolution must reach the councils that deliver

By Cllr Jason Perry | 29 September 2026

Devolution must give local authorities the powers, funding and accountability to deliver, says executive mayor of Croydon Jason Perry.

Popular articles by Laura Sharman

-->