COUNCIL bosses have announced their intention to firmly press ahead with their future shape programme to tackle “key challenges” faced by the borough.

The policy, dubbed easyCouncil because of its comparability to the way budget airlines are run, will look to deliver services in conjunction with private sector partners to make them more “responsive, more effective and more efficient”, the council said.

Critics of the plans claim it will divide the community between those who can afford the better services and those who will struggle, and believe service standards could in fact worsen.

But in the 28 page corporate plan document, Councillor Lynne Hillan, leader of Barnet Council, claims they are “an ambitious council” and can only be successful if they “deliver better serves, but with less money”.

She adds “major challenges” include managing a shrinking public purse, dealing with expected significant growth and improving services.

According to the leader, 2010/11 will be the year “in which our future shape proposals really take form” and residents will welcome greater control over spending on some of the budgets.

Cllr Hillan said: “No one in the council or its partners thinks this will be easy but I am heartened by the shared understanding in Barnet of the need to change and the need to engage more fully with our public.”

The plan states that the council hopes to work closely with partners such as the police, NHS Barnet, educational institutions and voluntary groups to produce a “one Barnet” approach to delivering services.

Cllr Hillan also claims “we accept that Barnet's communities are not interested who delivers their public services” and said: “Our ideal is a society is where Barnet residents are doing things for themselves.”

In a statement following the release of the document, Cllr Hillan said the corporate plan is “very much in the spirit of the times” and necessary after the first announcement of cuts in government spending.

It adds: “Our commitment to better services with less money - tied to the Future Shape programme - shows that we will look for new ways to deliver services that are both cheaper and more satisfactory for residents.

“Over the coming years there will be very few services where improvements will be made by simply spending more money. Those days have gone and we will need to be much more creative in future."

Chief Executive Nick Walkley claimed the documents set out an “ambitious plan” and reiterated the need to work with “new partners”.

He added: “Barnet Council is leading an exciting transformation programme and our staff are key to its successful implementation.

“The 'one Barnet' approach is the only way for our borough to continue to thrive and relies on all of us working together.”