Britain’s largest workers’ union has described the awarding of a multi-million pound Barnet Council contract to business processes firm Capita as “a dark day in the authority’s history”.

Almost 200 staff are facing redundancy within the next 12 months as the outsourcing specialist looks to move jobs as far away as Sheffield and Carlisle.

The contract, worth £320million over ten years, is the largest under the council’s One Barnet scheme and includes the provision of customer services, HR and IT support.

Council leader Richard Cornelius has pushed forward with the controversial outsourcing programme despite fierce opposition from unions and campaigners.

Unison branch secretary John Burgess said: “It is a dark, dark day in the history of Barnet Council. Staff and residents will remember this date as the day the council carried on marching over the cliff, ignoring the stark warnings of residents and other key stakeholders.

“The implications for our members are awful. I thought the morale of the workforce had already hit rock bottom. This news will drag it down deeper and it will have an impact on other council staff. I also fear for the impact on the future quality of services to Barnet residents.

“I really hope councillors will think again about the implications of what they are proposing and the risks of ignoring a growing dissenting community voice emerging from a resilient committed community campaign.

“But it isn’t over yet. There is an alternative way to deliver public services and our campaign is still very alive and focused. Watch this space.”