UNISON response to mass privatisation of 800 staff

Our report highlighting significant risks & weaknesses was submitted to Barnet Council Cabinet Resources Committee on Weds 2 March.

Our report was ignored.

See summary of Key Risk below.

1. Delivering Savings – Relentless drive for Efficiency

There is a significant risk that the Council will not achieve the forecasted £100 million savings for following reasons:

• Over reliance on the private sector to deliver savings without a proven record.

• Poor understanding of outsourcing models as reflected in the scoring.

• No evidence based economic assessment & financial projections for each service delivery model.

 

Somerset CC has decided to renegotiate the strategic partnership contract with IBM. Just three years into the ten-year £400m contract, the Council has decided to bring some services and functions back in-house, change the governance of the JVC, and simplify the contract (Cabinet Member Decision, 21 February 2011). The Council considered terminating the contract but this was ruled out because of early termination financial penalties and significant transition costs. Planned savings have already plummeted by a third.

2. Value for Money

There is a significant risk that the council will not achieve value for money for the following reasons:

• No assessment of costs and benefits for each service (business) delivery model.

• No forecast of affordability and no financial projections for each service delivery model.

• No analysis of business risks for each service delivery model.

• Little or no recognition of interdependencies between services resulting in a flawed options appraisal outcome.

• Issuing an OJEU notice in the absence of in depth business case and Gateway review.

 

The recent Catalyst dispute, which resulted in the Council bearing an additional cost of £10.3m illustrates the risks.

3. Challenge

There is a risk of external challenge for the following reasons:

• No evidence that service users have been consulted about the design of the Customer Services Organisation.

To view our Interim report click here

To view Petition signed by staff working in Reves & Bens click here

To view our Final report click here

We making a film about the cuts in Barnet – see trailer

Barnet UNISON along with Barnet Alliance are busy working on a documentary on the cuts in Barnet.

We are asking for residents and members to send in any photographs or short video clips of any events you have attended in Barnet.

Here is a short trailer made by one of our infamous Bloggers Barnet Eye which you can view here !

 

Mass filming by residents and trade unions

Barnet UNISON along with Barnet Alliance are organising a protest at Full Council meeting on Tuesday 1 March.

Full Council will be voting through a budget proposal of £54 million of cuts.

In the past the Council has refused to allow council meetings to be filmed. Last week Eric Pickles, the Conservative Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government said:

“Many councils are internet-savvy and stream meetings online, but some don’t seem to have caught up with the times and are refusing to let bloggers or hyper-local news sites in. With local authorities in the process of setting next year’s budget this is more important than ever.

“Opening the door to new media costs nothing and will help improve public scrutiny. The greater powers and freedoms that we are giving local councils must be accompanied by stronger local accountability.

“We are in the digital age and [the] analogue interpretation of the press access rules is holding back a new wave of local scrutiny, accountability and armchair auditors.”

you can view whole statement here

On Tuesday 1 March residents and trade unions will taek part in a mass film making protest.

Come along and join us.

 

UNISONs interim response to easyCouncil decision to privatise services

Barnet Council has carried out another options appraisal and surprise surprise it recommends privatisation. This makes 24 out of 25 council services have the same decision! Yet the Council says the decision is not predetermined!

UNISON submitted an interim response and is now consulting its members in order we can provide a fuller response by 28 February.

The decision will be made at Cabinet Resources Committee on 2 March.

You can read our interim response here

 

OPEN letter to Eric Pickles RE: Your interview on Radio 4’s Today programme

Dear Minister

 

RE: Your interview on Radio 4’s Today programme

I represent UNISON members working for Barnet Council and a number of voluntary and private sector organisations who provide services to Barnet residents on the behalf of the Council.

I have been contacted by a large number of members and residents about the content of your interview on the Today Programme this morning; in particular your policy that Councillors vote in open session on pay deals worth over £100,000.

Whilst I am sure we probably have different views about the future for local authorities, it does appear we both seem to agree on the issue about senior management pay, especially in times when public sector spending is under scrutiny and vital frontline services are facing direct and indirect cuts.

I am aware that you have received a letter (January 2011) from the Leader of Barnet Council seeking support, I am unaware if you responded favourably to her request? I also know you have had at least one letter from a concerned resident about some of the choices being proposed in our Council’s Budget which is due to go before a Full Council meeting on Tuesday 1st March.

 

Last week Barnet UNISON submitted the following Budget proposals:

To view full letter click here

Westminster UNISON is organising a mass lobby Monday 21st February 2011 at 6pm

Westminster UNISON is organising a mass lobby of the next Westminster Cabinet meeting.

Members and Community Groups are urged to meet up outside

Westminster City Hall, Monday 21st February 2011 at 6pm

 

As well as a further 201 redundancies, Westminster Council are proposing to:

Reduce Care services to 3,000 vulnerable adults; Cut £200,000 from the Portman Family Centre; Reduce Street Cleansing; Close Play Centres ; Dismiss Youth Workers employed to reduce gang crime ; Change to the Meals on Wheels serviceClose St James’s Library in September and reduce staff in other libraries with self service machines.

And this is just the beginning. The Tri Borough Report cites 50% reduction in management alone. Phases 5a and 5b redundancies will start next week . As Westminster demands reductions in the contract price from its outside contractors, further services will be reduced and more staff will be made redundant.

This week Housing21 issued 361 redundancy letters to the Home Care workers employed to look after Westminster’s most vulnerable residents.

However, Westminster has spent £3,973,952 on 12 temporary staff, all of whom cost  over £500 a day.

The Temporary Head of Regeneration and Partnerships, costs the Council £745 a day and has cost £453,446 for the 608 days worked for the Council.

A Senior Project Manager, costing £600 a day, has cost the Council £852,600 for 1,421 days’ work, while a Senior Business Analyst, costing £521 a day, has cost the Council £827,400 for 1,588 days’ work.

Information released by the Labour Group last week detailing some £74,259 spent on flowers as well as £91,390 spent on media training. Whilst these sums may not seem large, the spend on flowers alone is equal to two average staff posts (excluding on-costs).

EasyCouncil – Cabinet walk out on residents

Last night all members of the Cabinet Committee walked out of the above meeting, there was no announcement to the public gallery as to why or where they had gone.

At one stage a rumour circulated that the meeting had moved to the Council Chamber, so residents started to make their way to the Chamber only to find out they were being encouraged to leave the Building. Everyone turned round and returned to the committee rooms where residents began a chorus of “we shall not , we shall not be moved!”.  It felt like a game of hide seek

Perhaps we all missed the message to the Gallery, from the outset there were problems being able to hear what was being said and nigh on impossible for those sitting beyond rows five of the gallery. As I have been to a number of council meetings (sad anorak that I am!) this issue has been repeatedly raised by members of the public and still the issue remains unresolved. All night there were problems with the mike, although on a few occasions it appeared that the mike had been turned off so we couldn’t hear what was said; but that could be just my paranoia?

A concerned member of the public has subsequently contacted the branch and directed us to a DPR which was approved for a new system to be provided by “Sound Advice PA Installations Limited in accordance with their quote in the sum of £111,768.00” you can view DPR here

Public Question Time

This is the spot for residents to submit questions. Residents receive a response to their questions before the meeting and are given an opportunity to ask a supplementary question (members please note this level of scrutiny does not happen if you work for the Private sector).

For this Committee the Council had received an unprecedented amount of questions. Cabinet refused to agree to pleas from residents for Question time to be extended the 30 minute slot, this did not go down well with residents who quickly realised there wasn’t going to be enough time for their questions/issues.

UNISON Marathon Twitter – 14 February

There was so much to see and hear at the meeting, if you want to read the twitter news as it happened last night click here

What the papers say

Hendon Times- Councillors flee meeting due to public outrage

TOP councillors were forced to abandon a crucial meeting in mid-flow last night amid public anger at their plans for this year’s budget………………..During the meeting councillors moved to quieten the crowd with leader Councillor Lynne Hillan telling the group: “There are places where we can have proper discussions and cabinet is not one of them.” ……………….After continued public interruptions transport councillor Brian Coleman said: “I’ve rarely met such rude members of the public.”

To read full article click here

Unison letter to Barnet Council urges review of senior staff pay to save frontline jobs

UNION bosses have urged Barnet Council to look again at their budget proposals in a bid to protect frontline services before tonight’s crucial budget meeting. Read full article here

What the local Bloggers have to say

·         Barnet Eye: “Barnet Council Budget meeting : Bunfight at the KO Coral

·         Vicki Morris “Civilisation

·         Mr Reasonable “Lollipop staff and management waste”

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