UNISON: “Stop wasting time on Outsourcing – work with staff and unions”

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DEPOT WEB

Barnet UNISON have submitted our report to Barnet Council Environmental Committee which is meeting on Thursday 28 September to discuss outsourcing options for Street Scene Services.

One of the biggest risks is not classified as a risk, but a dependency (p37, IOBC). This is very surprising since the ADM “…is operationally dependent on the relocation of the depot facilities. Any delay, or unforeseen amendment, to the depot relocation will not only have a subsequent impact on day-to-day service delivery operations (‘business as usual’) but could also impact the delivery of the ADM.” (Barnet UNISON report 2016)

Our report makes the following recommendations

  1. The Barnet Group option is not an in-house option. Two of the options involve The Barnet Group, but in practice there is only one option as the In-house (pre December 2015) option is not sustainable. Furthermore, there is a direct conflict of interest, no ethical wall is in place and both options could not proceed to a procurement process.
  2. One of the biggest risks is not classified as a risk, but a dependency (p37, IOBC). This is very surprising since the ADM “…is operationally dependent on the relocation of the depot facilities. Any delay, or unforeseen amendment, to the depot relocation will not only have a subsequent impact on day-to-day service delivery operations (‘business as usual’) but could also impact the delivery of the ADM.”
  3. The ADM should be stopped and resources redirected to recruiting the required senior management and embarking on transformation strategy to deliver innovative and improved in-house services and meet financial targets.
  4. The Council should recruit new senior management for the Street Scene Delivery Unit to implement the transformation programme as a matter or urgency.
  5. A forward-looking in-house plan should be prepared, focused on innovation and improvement with in-house management.
  6. Staff and trade unions should be fully engaged in the design, planning and implementation of the transformation programme.
  7. The planned public consultation should be delayed and revised to engage service users, community organisations, businesses and civil society organisations in Barnet in contributing to and implementing the transformation programme.
  8. We recommend the main and sub-criteria are substantially revised for the next stage of the IOBC process.
  9. Complete the Employee Equality Impact Analysis as soon as possible so that a full impact assessment can be carried out of the potential effects on staff.
  10. The Council should not divide Street Scene services into ‘lots’ for contracting (learning the lessons from the May Gurney recycling contract), but concentrate on increased coordination and integration of services.

To view full report click link barnet-unison-street-scene