Former Tory council votes to end mass outsourcing of services

New council chief condemns failed experiment' under which Barnet called itself the country's first easyCouncil'

A former Tory council has voted to end the mass outsourcing of frontline services, bringing most back in-house and ending one of the most controversial local government policies in recent years.

Barnet council, in north London, called itself the country's first easyCouncil" in 2013 when it announced it would provide only the legal minimum of services, outsourcing everything else from disabilities and highways to planning and procurement through contractors Capita.