A new north London Local Authority Trading Company is set to take over the management of some adult social care services from its local authority through a unique arrangement with a social landlord.

The new company, called Your Choice Barnet, will take responsibility on 1 February 2012 for a range of learning and disability services currently provided by Barnet Council.

Under the new arrangement, agreed last night (16 January) by the council’s Cabinet Resources Committee, Your Choice Barnet will become part of a wider organisation called The Barnet Group and have a sister company in Barnet Homes, which manages the borough’s 15,000 council properties.

Business support, such as finance and IT, for Your Choice Barnet will come from existing teams at Barnet Homes, and the organisations will share a group Chief Executive – current Barnet Homes CEO Tracey Lees.

Council staff working for the social care services will transfer to Your Choice Barnet, ensuring continuity for the existing clients.

The new organisation will enable people to pay for these services in future through direct payments as part of the council’s commitment to giving disabled people more choice and control.

Your Choice Barnet will have its own Board, with two director positions reserved for a service user and carer. The Your Choice Barnet Board will be answerable to an overall Board for The Barnet Group, which will include representation from Barnet Council. All Boards will share a single Chair.

Barnet Homes Chief Executive, Tracey Lees, said: “We want to ensure that people with learning and physical disabilities are given real control over their lives.

“The name Your Choice Barnet reflects that aim. We want to complete a shift from delivering set services at set hours in a set location, to responding far more flexibly to the aspirations of our services users and providing them with what they want, when and where they want it.

“This is a very exciting venture for Barnet Homes. Over the last few years we’ve make substantial financial savings while overseeing rising resident satisfaction with our services. We are confident we can have a similar impact with Your Choice and other organisations that may come into The Barnet Group over time.”

Cllr Sachin Rajput, Cabinet Member for Adults, said: “This is an important change to the way the council gives a key group of our residents greater control over the services they receive and, by giving them that greater choice, empower them to make decisions which will improve their care and support needs.”

Your Choice Barnet will include the following services:

  • Rosa Morison
  • Flower Lane Autism Service
  • CommunitySpace
  • Valley Way Respite Service
  • Barnet Supported Living Service
  • Barnet Independent Living Service

Barnet Homes and Barnet Council are planning an official launch for Your Choice Barnet and The Barnet Group in February.