Date: 18 August 2012
Capital cities join to back public services during
festival
'A Tale of Two Barnets' film comes to Edinburgh
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Edinburgh and London UNISON members are bringing
an acclaimed film to the city during the festival
on 20 August to highlight the dangers of wholesale
privatisation of council services.
The film 'A Tale of Two Barnets' has received national
acclaim. It has had the rare privilege of being
shown at the House of Commons and has been warmly
received in over 30 showings across the London borough
and beyond.
John Stevenson, Edinburgh president of public service
union UNISON said: "The film title reflects the
fact that the London Borough of Barnet was the site
of the infamous workhouse from Dickens' Oliver Twist.
Ironically, 200 years after the author's birth,
Barnet council plans to turn the clock back to those
squalid Victorian times by selling off almost every
council service."
"Thankfully, Edinburgh's own plans to hand over
local services to big business were defeated earlier
this year. We are now proud to stand with Barnet
UNISON, as one capital city standing with another,
to back them in protecting their services for the
community now and in the future".
Film maker Charles Honderick spent six months interviewing
diverse local Barnet residents, business people
and councillors about the challenges they face in
2012 with austerity biting, the Olympics looming
and their high street under threat. The film is
stark and enlightening.
The film publicity sets the scene: "In 2012, Barnet
is faced with the biggest economic crisis since
the Second World War. The council, faced with budget
pressures has embarked on a massive outsourcing
program under the title of "One Barnet", which removes
all democratic accountability, but keeps all the
financial risk. They have sought to plug gaps in
finances by bringing in a whole raft of parking
charges, which threaten the very existence of the
local High street."
John Stevenson added: "Like in Edinburgh, the community
is fighting back. Many natural Conservative voters
in this Tory stronghold are deeply concerned about
the plans and the lack of democracy, as the film
shows. They feel they are not being heard. That
has led to a wide community campaign and huge election
swings this year with the longstanding Greater London
Authority member unseated and Labour securing a
shock win in a local by election".
John Burgess, UNISON Barnet Branch Secretary said:
"The film makers welcome the chance to show the
film in Edinburgh during the iconic festival. We
thank Edinburgh UNISON for recognising the importance
of the message contained within the film and hope
that the experience of campaigners in Barnet can
help our brothers and sisters who are under threat
across the country."
"A Tale of Two Barnets" will be shown at 6pm on
Monday 20 August at Douglas House, 60 Belford Road,
Edinburgh EH4 3UQ. Tickets are free from www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk
Notes for editors:
1. Film Previews http://londonist.com/2012/03/film-preview-a-tale-of-two-barnets.php
http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/a-tale-of-two-barnets-film-premiere
2. Review: http://www.bigsmoke.org.uk/?p=70862
3. Film website: http://ataleoftwobarnets.yolasite.com/
4. Press Release from Barnet UNISON:
On March 19th 2012, three hundred Barnet residents
packed into the Iconic Phoenix Cinema in London
to watch the world premier screening of "A Tale
of Two Barnet". The film was directed by American
Independent film director Charles Honderick and
features local residents, community leaders, the
local chief of Police and the Leader and CEO of
Barnet Council talking about the issues facing the
London Borough of Barnet and its residents.
The filmmaker uses Barnet as a microcosm to expose
the challenges being faced in these times of austerity
up and down the country. The film is both funny
and informative. It shows how a community under
threat responds. Residents also talk candidly about
parking issues, issues with welfare changes and
issues with the effects of public sector outsourcing
(in the disguise of the One Barnet program).
The Leader of the Council explains the council's
priorities and the CEO talks about the nature of
his job "Staff are my number 2 priority".
Since the launch of the film, it has been shown
over 30 times, including viewings at the House of
Commons, The National UNISON Conference and the
South East regional TUC conference. Local activists
have also arranged dozens of local showings and
recruited hundreds of ordinary local residents to
the Barnet Alliance for Public Services after debates
which followed the screenings.
Campaigners from all across the country have recognised
that the film gives a powerful blueprint for raising
awareness of issues affecting local communities
and the Barnet Experience is one which the groups
across the UK can learn from. The film makers welcome
the chance to show the film in Edinburgh during
the iconic festival.
We thank Edinburgh UNISON for recognising the importance
of the message contained within the film and hope
that the experience of campaigners in Barnet can
help our brothers and sisters who are under threat
across the country.