PRESENTATION BY UNISON ON THE FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATORY SERVICES (DRS) AND THE NEW SUPPORT AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT ORGANISATION (NSCSO

Dear Councillor,

 

REMINDER INVITATION TO A PRESENTATION BY UNISON ON THE FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATORY SERVICES (DRS) AND THE NEW SUPPORT AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT ORGANISATION (NSCSO) IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BARNET

 

In a few weeks time on 6 December the Council’s Cabinet will take a decision on award of a contract for the New Support and Customer Support Organisation (NSCSO.) The options they are likely to be presented with is to award the ten year contract to a consortium comprising BT and EC Harris or one comprising Capita and Barnet Homes, although the decision not to award to either or to defer decision are options still available. The award could result in several hundred jobs being lost out of the borough to elsewhere in the UK.

 

A month later on 8 January the Cabinet will take a similar decision on award of the Development and Regulatory Services contract (DRS). The options this time will be to award to either Capita Symonds or EC Harris, but in addition will probably include a proposal for the Council to enter a joint venture with the recommended bidder. These decisions are very high risk for the Council, they involve many of the critical statutory services for which the Council is held responsible under law. Moreover, joint ventures are both notoriously problematic for public bodies, shifting the financial and statutory risk to them for minimal benefit whilst taking accountability away from locally elected councillors. Again, options will remain for the Cabinet to decide not to award the contract, or to defer decision.

 

These are complex and difficult decisions for the council and UNISON, the public service union, is concerned that elected members are given every opportunity to understand and explore these before decisions are taken. For this reason UNISON cordially invites you to a presentation and discussion on Wednesday 14 November at Hendon Town Hall, Committee Room 1, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm.

The presentation will seek to explain the contract procurement process, including the option of setting up a  joint venture and the risks that the Council is taking in awarding these contracts to external companies. It will also provide opportunities for discussion and explore the options open to the Council at this late stage.

 

UNISON is seeking a genuine dialogue with elected members on the One Barnet Project, particularly concerning the capacity for LB Barnet to run such a large scale out sourcing project and the potential risks associated with it. Our concerns are practical, at heart concerns for the quality and value of services to council tax payers and for the reputation of the council, not ideological.

 

UNISON would very much appreciate you taking the time to hear what we have to say and discuss these issues with us. All elected members of the Council are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be available at the start of the meeting.

Please RSVP to Julie Woods, UNISON Regional Office on 0207 535 6564 or alternatively you can email j.woods@unison.co.uk

 

Yours sincerely

 

Linda Perks

Regional Secretary

UNISON GLR