This evening Cabinet Committee considers the Library Strategic Review at Hendon Town Hall at 7 pm.

Please find enclosed report sent to all councillors

 

“

Dear Councillors

Please find enclosed UNISON response to the Library Strategic Review. I think it is a balanced response to the review.

Recommendations:

1.No library branches to be closed, since there is demonstrable support both nationally and locally that the current number of branches remain in place. Also, there are currently legal challenges in regard to Gloucestershire under the 1964 Museum and Libraries Act. The High Court has imposed an injunction on the disposal of library buildings in Gloucestershire and Barnet should therefore respect this status quo until a ruling has been made.

 

2.If there closures are to be made these should not take place until the plans for any projected replacements are fully funded, signed and agreed by the council.

 

3.         That no further alteration in the ratio of public-facing and back-office functions take place, and that no posts be deleted until it can be demonstrated that the current levels of service be maintained.

 

4.The methodology, quantitative and qualitative data of the consultations is fully shared with the staff’s representatives.  Should the quantities of respondents to the consultation requesting changes to the service (e.g. longer opening hours) equal or be less than the numbers indicating they wish to save their libraries from closure, through the consultation and petitions, equal regard should be given to these numbers.

 

5.The management fully negotiate guidelines, policies and procedures regarding the use of volunteers and with specific reference to the issues of safeguarding and data protection with the trade unions, and that no volunteer be taken on until those negotiations reach a satisfactory conclusion.

 

6.Before any further changes to the Library Service are shared with the public, agreement should be reached through negotiation with the trade unions regarding changes that impact on the staff’s current hours and working practices

 7.         Staff at libraries directly affected by the implementation of the Library Strategy are provided with full information about their future terms & conditions and locations.

To view full report click here “

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

Standing up for staff and public services

Breaking News!!!!!!

Flash Mob thingymyjig on Pensions!

Barnet UNISON has been contacted by the Council about our Flash Mob thingymyjig. They have asked Barnet UNISON to contact our members working for Barnet Council and ask them not use Council computers to join the mass action and gave the following reasons:

·         This action has the potential to cause failure to the Council’s IT systems

·         It could have an impact on communicating with residents

If UNISON does not comply with the request then the Council have informed UNISON the Council will block access to the web site.

This 5 min activity was never intended to have a detrimental impact on the Council ability to provide services to Barnet residents it was to highlight the attacks to our Pensions. I know some members will be suspicious of this request and so I have asked for a copy of the risk assessment which has identified this as a risk to the IT infrastructure.

In the meantime I am asking our members not to use the Council PCs to access the following links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvBeAwpVZF4

OR TRY

http://barnetunison.blogspot.com/2011/07/francis-maude-cabinet-office-minister.html

However………..

We can offer UNISON members working in NLBP today the following:

Members can call into the UNISON office (building 4) today to access the video. Our IT system is not connected to the Councils; a copy of the transcript of the interview with Francis Maude will be made available.

Over the weekend…………..

We are asking our members to try and find time to playing the BIG CON video on their PC’s or mobile phones at home on the following links

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvBeAwpVZF4

OR TRY

http://barnetunison.blogspot.com/2011/07/francis-maude-cabinet-office-minister.html

Please watch the video and share it with your friends on Face Book, Blogs and Twitter.

We have a provided a transcript of the BBC interview which you can download here.

For those unable to view the BIGCON video we can make a short DVD in order you can view. Contact the branch on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Best-selling author Kate Mosse, an early supporter of the Save Barnet Libraries campaign mentioning it on the BBC Politics show and in The Guardian (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/dec/11/kate-mosse-libraries-books), last week launched a scathing attack on the matter of library closures. She said, “There has been a naïve belief on the part of government and local authorities that after the initial objections, public anger would wane. Instead it is the precise opposite: the anger has simply exacerbated” adding that there had been “a catastrophic failure of leadership” from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, the Arts Council and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. (see http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/fight-to-save-local-libraries-gets-its-day-in-court-2314964.html).

Friern Barnet Library Party

To emphasise Kate’s point, Campaigners for Friern Barnet Library channelled their anger over its threatened closure into the positive force of organising a party to celebrate this focal point of their community. Hundreds turned up, (especially children in fancy dress, many of them representing Hogwarts school – fortunately not thought to be one of the six local schools affected by the closure!) to enjoy a bookworm cake, send a letter to their councillor, make ‘save our library’ posters and listen to live music. If you were there you will know what a great time was had by all – if you weren’t check out the campaign’s website at http://sites.google.com/site/savefriernbarnetlibrary/ to join in the fun through ‘you tube’ and ‘flickr’.

Cabinet Meeting

Barnet Council’s cabinet meeting takes place on 26^th July 2011, 7:00pm at Hendon Town Hall to discuss the Library Strategy Review. This is the meeting that will decide the fate of Friern Barnet, Hampstead Garden Suburb and North Finchley Libraries. Campaigners on behalf of the above libraries intend to be there and would welcome anybody to come along and offer moral support.

Contact your MP

Campaigners are also asking users of the affected libraries to contact their MP to let them know they do not want their libraries to close.

For Friern Barnet this is Theresa Villiers MP who can be contacted through:

http://www.theresavilliers.com/email/

For Hampstead Garden Suburb and North Finchley it is Mike Freer MP who can be contacted at mike.freer.mp@parliament.uk

As Kate Mosse has said, let them know your anger over library closures is not on the wane – but do it politely as we want them to take action not umbrage!

 

 

 

The One Barnet Programme (OBP) talks about the Council having ‘a different relationship with the citizen’, staff will have heard at One Barnet briefings that the OBP ‘puts the citizen at the heart of everything the council does’

In light of the above Barnet UNISON decided to commission the view of an ordinary citizen on One Barnet Programme.

You can view his response here

Friday 22 July at 12.30pm…. Friday 22 July at 12.30pm!

At a recent Pension branch briefing members thought it would be a good idea if UNISON members across the branch which includes a number of different employers agreed to watch and listen to this short video (3 mins 57 secs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvBeAwpVZF4

The video includes an interview with the Cabinet Officer Minister Francis Maude.

We are asking our members to start playing the BIG CON video on their PC’s or mobile phones at the same time whether it at work (in their lunch break) or at home.

Please watch the video on Friday 22 July at 12.30pm

We have a provided a transcript of the BBC interview which you can download here.

For those unable to view the BIGCON video we can make a short DVD in order you can view. Contact the branch on 0208 359 2088 or email

contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Dear Councillors

Please find enclosed Interim Analysis of Library Strategic Review.

Click here

Once the report going to Cabinet at the end of this month is made publicly available we will carry out a consultation with our members and  submit our final response to Cabinet.

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

Standing up for staff and public services

Gloucestershire Council in the Dock

Residents of Gloucestershire have given Library Campaigners across the country a boost by obtaining a High Court injunction against the closure of their libraries. This also reminds local authorities that they have a statutory duty to provide a full and comprehensive library service under The Museum and Libraries Act 1964. This action represents the first time the Act has been tested in court and round one has clearly gone to the residents. As Public Interest Lawyers solicitor Daniel Carey, acting on behalf of Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries notes; “the High Court has today ensured that these cuts will receive the full scrutiny of the law. The council has very clear statutory duties to provide libraries and these plans breach them.”

Read further reports here:

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/high-court-halts-gloucestershire-library-closures.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-13817172

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/106068

Meanwhile in Barnet

Local residents in Barnet have been no less vociferous in campaigning to keep their libraries open.

Friern Barnet residents have mounted well supported read-ins at their threatened library and are investigating the possibility of obtaining village green status for the green space next to it. More than 2,000 people signed the petition which has now been presented to the council.

Future planned protests are a ‘Walk to the Library’ week for local children from Monday 11^th – Friday 15^th July. The campaigners would like as many local schools to participate as possible so if your children or their school want to join-in contact them at savefriernbarnetlibrary@gmail.com . The ‘Walk to the Library’ week will reach a stunning finale with a party for the library on  Saturday 16^th July from 2-4pm. Check out https://sites.google.com/site/savefriernbarnetlibrary/updates for up-to-date information.

Hampstead Garden Suburb residents have been doing their homework and reckon the council have got their figures wrong in their justification to close the local library. Campaigners say, “While it is claimed that our Suburb library is the second costliest to run, one of the reasons cited being that the premises are the only ones in the borough which are leased from a private landlord, our investigations have shown that the rent for 2010/11 is only £ 10,532 p.a., just 7.6% of its total costs. What however is very disturbing is the fact that over £ 57,000 or 41% of the total overheads is being charged to us by way of ” central ” Barnet library charges. To determine what savings are indeed possible , without prejudicing the quality of the service, surely any cost projections must be calculated on a ” like with like ” basis ? The full article can be viewed at http://www.hgs.org.uk/newspages/20110506savehgslibrary.html and in the local press here http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/9059899.Library_cost_figures_queried_by_campaigners/

North Finchley residents are also concerned about the future of their library and have managed to obtain 790 signatures on a petition which, as reported by Mrs Angry, Barnet Councillors managed to ignore by use of the new format for Residents Forums. See http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.com/2011/06/telling-it-like-it-is-residents-forum.html for all the shameful details.

Library campaigners of Barnet – Don’t hide your light under a bushel. If you are organising a protest, a petition, a Read-in, a Love-in or anything designed to support your library we want to help spread the word. Send the details to Barnet UNISON on contactus@barnetunison.org.uk or Barnet Alliance for Public Services on barnetalliance4publicservices@gmail.com

Dear Councillors

Please find Barnet UNISON response to the New Support and Customer Services Organisation Business Case going to Cabinet Resources Committee on Wednesday 29 June

For those of you who prefer to read hard copies I have arranged for the report to be posted to you.

In all my time as Branch Secretary of Barnet UNISON I have endeavoured to seek engagement with councillors and officers in a non partisan manner it is unfortunate that our reports (and we have submitted over 30 such reports) are still being perceived as simply part of anti-outsourcing agenda, Whilst I can understand that view, I think for those who have read our reports they will find they are quite balanced and reflect the views of our growing membership.

It is now three years since the council embarked on the Future Shape programme and in that time it has changed direction a number of times; at least that is my view. In that time I have been assured by councillors and senior officers that mistakes of the past both local and national in relation to procurement and contract monitoring will not be repeated I have to report that they have become empty words.

It was not amusing or comfortable sitting in the Audit Committee two weeks ago and all the subsequent publicity that has brought to the Council. But I can only reflect that if the Council had been serious in its intentions to engage with UNISON two years ago when we submitted a 100 page draft corporate procurement policy you may never have heard the words ‘Metpro’.

In the hope that perhaps you may understand the level of concern we have over the One Barnet projects I would like to bring you attention to the now infamous Southwest One strategic partnership in Somerset which has been beset by controversy since the project was signed off by the then Lib Dem council. Since the contract was signed off there has been a change and it now a Conservative administration. The contract continue to be subject to criticism that it has not delivered anywhere near the savings first predicted; it is my understanding they have spent £58 million to make £6 million in savings. Following a Freedom of Information inquiry the Council decided to go public about the review they have carried out.

I would ask you to view this BBC southwest interview with the Ken Maddock Leader Somerset County Council it is only 2 mins long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKzSHxz14YI

It is clear to anyone watching this short clip that he is uncomfortable with the contract and is aware that it will cost an ‘awful lot of money to get out of the contract with IBM’. The idea that council has the expertise and skills to take on the big law firms like IBM, Capita SERCO and the rest is a very high risk strategy.

I know Somerset very well and have been following this story for several years. They had consultants that sold the savings concept, but where are they now?

As previously, please do not hesitate to contact me if you want to discuss aspects of our report.

To view report click here

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Standing up for staff and public services

Not for onward transmission in whole or part without permission

The Council takes a narrow view of the function of the Business Case “…as the purpose of the business case is to identify the case to carry out procurement process, the risks associated with this process are highlighted” (Response to Trade Union comments, 31 May 2011). But the role of a Business Case is not simply justify commencement of procurement, it is also to establish a case for outsourcing the service. This is an important distinction. There is no in-house bid, so the Council has to look beyond a procurement process to determine whether the development of the options appraisal actually stacks up in the five ways described above.

 

The Council is not consistent because two of the six risks identified in the Business Case refer to the risk of central government changing savings targets or decreasing funding “…during the life of the contract” (page 36).

 

The Council is attempting to privatise risks by omitting from the business case. The risks summarised below are equally important as the six risks identified in the Business Case. If key risks are not disclosed and debated now, then the next stage will be the award of a contract when the risk register will be classified as ‘commercially confidential’. The final Business case may ultimately be disclosed through a Freedom of Information request, but by then the contract will have been signed and will be operational. These omissions would have been identified if the Council had adopted best practice in holding Gateway Reviews at important stages of the options appraisal and procurement process.

 

Key risks omitted by the Council

The following key procurement risks have omitted from the Business Case:

• Higher transaction costs
• Judicial Review if unequal treatment
• Bidders withdraw/submit incomplete bids
• Bidders submit higher priced bids than affordable

The Business Case identifies only one transition risk, others include :

• TUPE transfer disputes
• Loss of critical skills before or at transfer

The Business Case identifies only two key operational risks but there are more key risks that should be included:

• Cost reductions not achieved
• Service quality does not meet standards
• High level service user complaints
• Corporate policies not fully implemented
• Sub-performance of subcontractor(s)
• Transformation delay
• Innovation limited
• Technology or system failure
• Change Control mechanism disputes
• Data security breaches
• Industrial relations/action disputes
• Contractor seeks to renegotiate contract
• Loss of knowhow/intellectual property
• Disputes with contractor over impact of outsourcing other Council services

The Business Case fails to identify contract management risks such as:

• Inadequate monitoring & reporting
• Effectiveness of performance assessment regime
• Lack of exit strategy

Financial Risks

• Hidden costs emerge
• Increased contract monitoring and management staff and costs
• Larger budget reductions required
• In Reduced revenue collection rates reduce income
• Cost reductions not achieved

Democratic Governance Risk

• Strategic & operational boards partnership management problems
• Lack of oversight and scrutiny
• Accountability & reporting failure

Employment Risk

• Changes to terms and conditions
• Increased level of job losses
• Industrial relations disputes

• Pensions