A disabled campaigner awaiting the result of her appeal against the council’s privatisation plans has said it “makes no difference” what the judgement will be.

Maria Nash took Barnet Borough Council to the Court of Appeal this week in a bid to overturn an earlier decision made by Judge Nicholas Underhill.

In April the High Court judge ruled in favour of the council over its One Barnet outsourcing programme on the grounds the judicial review was brought too late.

After one and a half days, Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson, Lord Justice Davies and Lady Justice Gloster yesterday retired to consider their judgment.

The court goes into recess at the end of the month, and a decision is not expected until the end of September.

During the case, Nigel Giffin QC, acting for Ms Nash, disputed the council's defence that it had consulted residents about the outsourcing programme and the legal challenge was brought out of time.

He argued the council could have talked to residents about their intention to outsource services at any time from 2008.

However, he added it was "reasonable" for Ms Nash to wait for the final decision on December 6 before challenging it, because only then would the council have breached its legal obligation to consult.

Barnet Council had agreed not to sign contracts with Capita or Capita Symonds until the conclusion of the legal process, after naming them as the preferred bidders.

Barbara Jacobson of the Barnet Alliance For Public Services, which has been helping Ms Nash through the judicial review, said the court case had been “interesting” to watch.

She added: “I don’t think anyone in the court knows how it’s going to go. We feel our side put its case across well and we rebutted the council’s defence.

“Now we have to wait and see.”

However, Ms Nash said it did not matter what the result of the appeal was since Barnet Council had already signed an interim contract with Capita and had agreed the DRS contract.

She said: “The council has been laughing in the face of the law. It’s all a big joke. Barnet has already made its decision, whatever it might say in public.

The former holistic therapist added: "The council does not represent the interests of the people who voted for it.

“It should have asked ordinary people about what they thought of privatisation instead of listening to a few rich people.”

A coucil spokeswoman said: “The contracts will allow us to make savings of more than £1million per month and protect frontline services for Barnet residents.

“As is only proper, the council has respected the legal process and agreed not to sign the NSCSO and DRS contracts until the outcome of the appeal is known. We notified Mrs Nash's solicitors of  our intention to enter into the interim short term contract before it was signed, which we have put in place to keep our IT and other essential services functioning in the intervening period.”