Barnet Council leader Richard Cornelius believes his Conservative group are backing the One Barnet scheme despite rumours of mass dissent among the party.

The authority provisionally awarded its largest contract under the controversial outsourcing scheme to business services firm Capita yesterday. The Tory group leader said it was a major step for the borough council.

The One Barnet programme, under which the council is looking to outsource £700million of services, has attracted fierce opposition from unions and campaigners.

Almost 200 people look set to lose their jobs under the plans announced yesterday, but Councillor Cornelius remains positive about the scheme.

He said: “By announcing this process we have planned ahead. We don’t want to say a few years down the line that the budget doesn’t work so we’re going to have to lose jobs suddenly, like some authorities are doing.

“There is a sense of achievement that we have got this far and I’m sure other authorities will follow. It is a very important step in this council’s history and we won’t be quite as nervous now when it comes to looking at the autumn statement.”

Details of the latest contract were revealed to Barnet’s Conservative group at a meeting on Tuesday night.

Some members have been rumoured to oppose the scheme but Cllr Cornelius believes his party agrees that they should go ahead.

He said: “Everyone knows where we’re going and the members of my group are happy that we’re going ahead. There is of course room for dissent and I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t but this is the decision we’ve taken.”