Category: UNISON Campaign
news around UNISON campaigns
Legal Services update………6 July
UNISON Members will know that Legal Service should have been transferred to Harrow Council on Monday 2 July. However there has been a number of serious developments which has resulted in a delay to the transfer. The cause of the delay has been documented before.
On Thursday 5 July 2012 I attended a special Joint Negotiation Consultation Committee to address the following concerns raised by UNISON in the tripartite meetings
UNISON Submission to JNCC 5 July 2012
UNISON wishes to put on the record their dissatisfaction with the TUPE consultation with regards the transfer of legal Services to the London borough of Harrow. Considering at the outset of this TUPE consultation UNISON had strongly urged lessons be learnt from a recent TUPE transfer with the Parking Service. It is disappointing to report that lessons have not been learnt.
Due Diligence
It has been clear from the little information which has been shared with the trade unions that Barnet staff are at risk of redundancy as a result of the TUPE transfer. Both UNISON branches have made repeated requested for a copy of the Financial Due diligence which has taken place.
UNISON recognises the risk that Legal Services may not be able to deliver a viable business case due to lack of financial information. UNISON notes this risk is reported in the business case submitted to Cabinet Resources Committee on 4 April 2012. In the same report the Council quite rightly had to provide evidence that they had mitigated this risk and does so in section 4.2
“Due diligence has been carried out to understand the costs of the future service, alongside considerations of overheads, set up costs, and pension cost”
UNISON is asking this JNCC to provide a copy of the Due diligence.
Inter Authority Agreement
UNISON has been informed that the above agreement will be shared with the staff and trade unions before it is signed. UNISON is concerned that this document may contain information which will have a material impact on our members terms & conditions. UNISON is seeking confirmation that UNISON and our members will be given sufficient time to read and consult on the information contained therein.
UNISON is asking for period of time to be provided to the Trade Unions in order for meaningful consultation of the Inter Authority Agreement to take place.
Outcome
The Council responded by saying that there was no Due diligence report and that the IAA will be circulated to staff and the Trade Unions, but no date.
What next?
The latest delays are now due to ongoing discussions over the content of the Inter Authority Agreement (IAA) which is a legal document between the London Borough of Harrow and London Borough of Barnet. UNISON and staff have been given an assurance that they will see this agreement before it is signed. It is fair to report that staff have mixed feelings about the transfer. Some members just want to get out of Barnet and after what has happened I can fully understand that sentiment. Others are concerned about what happens after transfer as it has already been stated that there are going to be redundancies. Unfortunately both councils are blaming each other about whether sufficient information was transferred to Harrow in order for Harrow to provide meaningful consultation about redundancy proposals with the trade unions.
It is both surprising and disappointing to have to report that for some reason Harrow Council are having a problem agreeing to the re-location protocol imposed by Barnet Council on any future TUPE transfers.
This is the fourth TUPE transfer and the process is getting worse not better, hardly inspiring news for our members in the much bigger outsourcing projects.
Barnet UNISON Press Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Barnet Council Not for Sale Conference Saturday 7 July 2012.
Barnet UNISON in partnership with Barnet Alliance for Public Services and supported by the TUC are hosting a conference on the mass privatisation of Barnet council services this Saturday 7 July 12- 3 pm at the Greek Cypriot Centre, Britannia Road, North Finchley, London N12 9RU
The Council is attempting to become a Commissioning Council whereby it no longer delivers council services. In the last few months Barnet Council has already transferred the following staff and services out of the council to new employers
· Social Care services for adults with disabilities
· Housing Needs & Resources
· Parking services
· All of the Legal Department * (talks on the transfer of staff to Harrow Council are still ongoing)
By the end of May 2013 up to 70% of the council workforce will no longer be working for the Council.
The aim of the conference is to provide information about the scale of risk to the council tax payers of Barnet. The conference will be in two parts.
Part One speakers include
Professor Dexter Whitfield European Services Strategy Unit (ESSU) recently published a report on the cost and consequences of the Commissioning Council.
Andy Mudd from the well-respected local government research body the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) published a report warning that over the past few years those at the north London Council involved in the awarding and managing of contracts to private contractors, have often ignored both council guidelines and UK competition law.
John Dix resident, one of the infamous Barnet Bloggers recently reported the Council has agreed another £10million be allocated to consultants to deliver the outsourcing One Barnet Programme
The second part of the meeting will include speakers from Aberdeen UNISON, and Edinburgh UNISON. Both of these councils recently decided not to go ahead with outsourcing after taking part in lengthy procurement discussions with a number of private sector contractors. A speaker from Sefton UNISON will talk about why Sefton Council decided to terminate their contract early with Capita Symonds. Capita Symonds is one of the Bidders for one the One Barnet projects.
John Burgess, Branch Secretary UNISON said “We are continuing to seek a meeting with councillors in particular the members of the Cabinet Committee regarding our concerns about the One Barnet Programme. We know from experience that once residents are made aware of One Barnet they are very concerned about the implications. This conference is just one part of a widespread community campaign to bring public scrutiny to the One Barnet experiment.”
End
Note to Editors
1. Barnet Alliance website
http://barnetalliance.org/2012/06/24/barnet-council-not-for-sale-public-conference-saturday-7-july/
2. APSE report
http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/Procurement_contract_management.pdf
3. ESSU report: Cost of Consequences of commissioning
4. UNISON branch write to 63 councillors warning of serious gamble with council services
http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/911
5. Edinburgh Council dumps privatisation
http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/news/2012/1901.html
6. Aberdeen UNISON wins battle against privatisationhttp://www.unison.org.uk/eastmidlands/news_view.asp?did=7708
7. Sefton Council to end £65m technical services contract with Capita Symonds
One Barnet the ‘Graph of Doom!’
Earlier this week an article appeared in the Guardian about Barnet Councils ‘Graph of Doom’ part of the article goes on to say
“Barnet, once dubbed “easyCouncil”, is known for its enthusiastic embrace of service outsourcing. But the Graph of Doom is quite separate. Irrespective of savings planned under the One Barnet transformation strategy, the slide demonstrates that demographic change – more children, more older people – is going to soak up every penny the authority has.”
Later it adds
“The graph should not be taken too literally: by making no provision for Barnet's anticipated rise in income through regeneration schemes, for instance, it overstates the bleakness of the outlook.”
Council workers may remember this Barnet Council youtube video published just before consultation on the Council Budget began. The video did paint a stark picture that the Council will ‘run out of money’ the video portrayed this scenario as inevitable and it is being used to justify the need to outsource council services. So there we have it, councillors and residents and staff are being bombarded with “we are all doomed message”
However a local Blogger Mr Reasonable (and he really is very reasonable), quickly spotted the flaws in this presentation, take a look at what he had to say back 1 October 2011 here
Barnet Council response to the UNISON report on Revenues and Benefits
UNISON responded the restrucure to Revenues and Benefits by producing a detailed 13 page report including detailed evidence.
You can find our Executive Summary here
You can find our detailed report here
You can find our supporting evidence here
You can read the Council response here
To say it is disappointing woudl be an understatement. It is never easy to encourage staff, residents and the public to engage in consultation because many beleive the decisions have already been agreed. This is a very dangerous position to take and undermines local democracy.
In terms of the Council response I am shocked at the lack of detail to our report and the misrepresentation of our offer which was
If the Council abandon the restructure, they can make a saving of three consultants immediately, which we estimate would produce a total saving of £500k in 12 months. UNISON is prepared to offer the use of an expert consultant free of charge to work with the existing senior management team to produce a sustainable alternative structure for this service before outsourcing.”
We were in fact offering two savings for the Barnet council tax payer not one. The first saving was to terminate the contracts of the consultants. It is difficult to understand the business case for the continued use of consultants in Revenues & Benefits as they have given the task of making the restructure (they proposed) work to the council employed management team.
The second saving to the Barnet council tax payer was to provide the FREE use of a consultant to produce a sustainable alternative structure for this service before outsourcing.
Cllr Cohen responds to request for a public inquiry into the Legionella Outbreak in Care Homes
This the response to my detailed request (view here) for a independent public inquiry into the Legionella outbreak
From: Cohen, Cllr Melvin Conservative [mailto:Cllr.M.Cohen@barnet.gov.uk]
Sent: 04 April 2011 11:14
To: John Burgess
Cc: Kennally, Kate; Joffe, Glynnis; Mason, Rick; l.Butterfield@unison.co.uk; Murray, Stewart; Palmer, Chris
Subject: Re: Barnet UNISON – Legionella outbreak – in Catalyst Care homes in Barnet
Dear Mr.Burgess
Thank you for your e mail. I am confident that this matter has been well handled by the department
I see no need for a public inquiry.
Have asked Rick Mason to respond to your specific questions
Regards
Melvin Cohen
“What is going on in Libraries in Barnet?”
It has always fascinated me how strong the feelings are in the community for Libraries. The Strategic Review which is currently being carried out finishes at the end of November.
“How many Libraries are there in Barnet?”
Burnt Oak, Childs Hill , Chipping Barnet library and children’s centre, Church End library and children’s centre, East Barnet, East Finchley , Edgware library and children’s centre, Friern Barnet, Golders Green, Grahame Park, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Hendon, Mill HIll library and children’s centre, North Finchley library and children’s centre, Osidge , South Friern, Mobile Library; Home Library Service, Local Studies and Archives
It is quite an impressive list of services.
The staff working in the Library Service are obviously providing an excellent service.
I understand that over 3,000 people have signed a petition saying “We the Undersigned, are totally opposed to the closure, sell off or downgrading of the Library service in the London Borough of Barnet…..”
It is my understanding that the Review has not made any recommendations to close, sell off or down grade the Library Service…….not yet anyway.
Whilst I do not know what the Strategic Review will recommend, I do think that in light of the economic climate and the Future Shape Policy of privatising services that there is a good chance we could see proposals which seek to privatise, cut or down grade the Library Service.
If I was working in the Library Service I would take comfort that residents are behind you and by signing the petition are responding to the consultation.
ALL Barnet UNISON members, their family and friends can sign the petition online here
Remember remember the 2 November!!!!
We have already had a week of the reporting in the news about massive cuts to public services post the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR).
The impact of the CSR is going to impact on all Barnet staff directly and indirectly. If the current budget proposals are implemented there are going to be serious cuts to social care services. Children’s Services and in particular Youth & Connexions services will be devastated.
Future savings through the mass privatisation of council services are also included in the Budget proposals although no evidence of how these figures were reached,
It is important for all UNISON members to come along to the lobby on
Tuesday 2nd November
Hendon Town hall
5.45- 6.45
If you can leaflet your street with flyers advertising the Lobby email contatcus@barnetunison.org.uk or ring 0208 359 2088.
We are asking everyone who us coming to bring a pack or two of Sparklers it is close to Bonfire Night.
We had a successful lobby last month and a colleague (Kumudu Dias made a short video which you can view here ).
Wrap up well, it is likely to be cold and wet but we will have plenty of things in place to keep you all warm and in good spirits
Barnet Council Cabinet Report 20 October – Financial Armageddon
Budget Headline Figures
· Original Budget £225,537,000
· Saving in Year One £20,828,000
· Saving in Year Two £13,215,000
· Saving in Year Three £12,121,000
· Total Savings £46,164,000
The above is a quote from the Cabinet Report which you can read online here.
Staff briefings are underway across all Directorates. Some Directorate are taking a bigger hit than others, this is in part due to grant funding reductions.
First I think it is important to recognise that the budget process is starting a lot earlier than usual, in the past we have not seen any proposals until early January.
The report does not clearly identify individual posts but it is clear that in the worst case scenario 430 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) posts could be deleted by 31 March 2011.
At some stage the Council will start consultation with Barnet residents, now is our opportunity for staff and the Trade Unions to ‘get involved’ in the process.
A number of UNISON meetings are taking place. Please make time to attend.
Call this an Options Appraisal?
Barnet Council has enlisted the support of consultants to deliver easyCouncil.
This report by iMPOWER is the latest of a long line of reports which surprise surprise promotes privatisation!
To view click here