Publications

Most of the publications listed here can be downloaded in Word or pdf format. Others can be purchased from the European Services Strategy Unit.

The Case for an In-House Housing Service for the London Borough of Barnet

Originally 70 Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMO) were established as part of the Governments Decent Homes Programme which began in 2001 to improve living standards by
installing new kitchens, bathrooms and central heating. Most ALMOs have closed – only two remain
in London – Barnet Homes and Sutton Housing Partnership. Barnet Homes is part of the Barnet
Group Limited which is owned by the Council. The report documments the closure of 17 ALMOs
in London.

Barnet UNISON commissioned the ESSU to make the case for a Council managed Housing Service
to increase the integration of public services, improve strategic planning, and remove the
embedded workforce inequalities with two-tier terms, conditions and pensions. The Council’s
Oversight and Scrutiny Committee failed to effectively scrutinse the issues. The Labour Council’s
Cabinet also failured to address the key issues, but sanctioned a 10-year management
extension for Barnet Homes.


Download Barnet Housing Service

Published on 4th July 2020. Last updated 27th November 2025.

  • Barnet UNISON launch “We are Barnet” – Pay like Barnet! campaign

    Barnet UNISON launch “We are Barnet” – Pay like Barnet! campaign

    Barnet UNISON has published its Pay and Conditions Claim 2021 to The Barnet Group (TBG), the London Borough of Barnet’s arms-length company which delivers housing, physical and learning disability, residential and social care and other services. It had 300 employees in 2012 which increased to 1,150 by 2020. The report details the employment policies of…

  • ESSU Research Reports

    ESSU Research Reports

    Research reports from the European Services Strategy Unit.

  • ESSU Reports and Briefings

    Reports and books published by ESSU

  • ESSU Reports for public bodies, trade unions and community organisations

    Reports researched and written by ESSU for public bodies, trade unions and community organisations.

  • Books and articles by Dexter Whitfield

    Books and articles by Dexter Whitfield

    Books and articles by Dexter Whitfield published externally.

  • The Fragmentation of London Local Government

    The Fragmentation of London Local Government

    Identifies five forms of fragmentation – institutional fragmentation which involves the formation of new institutions or transfer of responsibilities to companies or trusts; organisational and managerial fragmentation by transferring duties to business units; service fragmentation by outsourcing; employer fragmentation as a result off institutional, organisational an service fragmentation leading to multiple employers; workplace fragmentation with…

  • The Future of Business Development Centres in Newcastle

    The Newcastle City Council’s Business Development Centres are very successful in contributing to implementing the City Council’s corporate and economic development policies and have generated a large number of businesses which would not otherwise have started or survived. However, they were threatened major budget cuts and/or outsourcing in 1999. This report recommends their retention as…

  • Briefing paper on the use of tax havens by Scottish Hub and PPP Project Companies

    Briefing paper on the use of tax havens by Scottish Hub and PPP Project Companies

    Researched by Dexter Whitfield, European Services Strategy Unit, and member of the SAPPP Taskforce. Briefing paper published by Common Weal as part of the Scotland Against PPP Task Force for Financing Public Scotland: Introduction and methodologyImpact of tax havensGovernance and disclosureCorporate tax haven IndexUse of tax havens by Hub CompaniesUse of tax haven in NPD…

  • Archive of key Centre for Public Services and SCAT reports

    Archive of key Centre for Public Services and SCAT reports

    Important documents on a range of public policy issues produced between 1973 and late 1990s.

  • Lie of the Land

    Lie of the Land

    Community Land Act: Land Nationalisation Betrayed SCAT worked with several community campaigns confronted by property speculation including the Battersea Redevelopment Action Group and the North Southwark Community Development Group to produce a highly critical analysis (1976) of the Community Land Act 1975 as a betrayal of land nationalization. It contained reports on Southwark, Cardiff, Lewes,…