#Capita commence formal redundancy consultations in #Barnet

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Yesterday, 22 November 2018 Capita formally commenced a 52 day consultation for the Capita Corporate Programmes team.

The proposal is cut the size of the workforce from 29 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) to 8 FTE which is a 72% cut in the workforce.

Please note: In 2013 when the Corporate Programmes Team transferred to Capita the team was 13.39 FTE. 

The staff to work in Barnet on LBB projects and programmes and work across the following teams/areas:

  • Capital
  • Transformation
  • Technology & Change
  • Customer Transformation Programme

Barnet Council have told Capita they have no requirement for a team of this size for 2019.

Barnet UNISON have raised concern that this proposal has clearly arisen as a result of closed door negotiations with Capita. The negotiations are as a result of the Councils decision to review both Capita contracts at a special Policy and Resources Committee on 19 July 2018 which:

“RESOLVED – That the Committee:

  1. Agrees to review the council’s partnership with Capita, and authorises the Chief Executive to develop a Full Business Case.
  2. Agrees that the proposed strategic aims underpinning the Full Business Case should be to:
  3. a) Deliver high quality services;
  4. b) Secure best value for money for Barnet’s residents; and
  5. c) Strengthen the council’s strategic control of services.
  6. Notes the three options identified and considered in more detail in paragraphs 2.4 to 2.7 and Tables 1 to 4.
  7. Agrees that option 2 – realigning the CSG and DRS contracts to bring back in house those services listed in Table 5 – is the proposed preferred option to be tested in the Full Business Case.
  8. Agrees that option 3 is fully tested and considered in the Full Business Case.
  9. Agrees that the Full Business Case should review the joint venture arrangement for the delivery of Development and Regulatory Services.
  10. Agrees that the Full Business Case should be considered by Policy & Resources Committee, for referral to Council for final decision.”

(Source: http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=692&MId=9725&Ver=4 )

Barnet UNISON has registered concern that this may be the first of a series of redundancy meetings for Capita employees working in other services provided by Capita as a result of negotiations with Barnet Council. We are also concerned that this could be viewed as an attempt to circumvent any TUPE transfers of staff back to the Council.