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Screening of the Film  

‘Barnet – The Billion Pound Gamble’

Monday 19 November, Committee Room 12 , House of Commons, London, SW1A 2TT

6.30 for a 7 pm start

Public Meeting and Free Entry

To view story click here

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

UNISON has now submitted our second response to the proposed Library Restructure.

To view our report click here

Dear Councillors

 

Please find enclosed a report on the current financial pressures including our Briefing Number 17 Alternative 10 Point Plan proposal. (To view click here)

 

The caveat which must be included with this report is that we have had no access to the proposals submitted by the Bidders or access to the information provided to the Bidders in forming their proposals.

 

I hope all of you will be able to come along to the briefing UNISON has invited you to on Wednesday 14 November 2012.

 

As ever if there is a point of clarification or concern please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

Dear Councillors

 

Please find Briefing Number 16 entitled ‘Flexible contracts’ (to view click here)

 

Some of you may be aware of the recent news reports:

 

1. BT in about-turn over outsourcing

“We think we can run a number of things more efficiently ourselves,” says chief executive Ian Livingston. (Source: http://ning.it/QhDoco)

 

2. BT ‘blamed for IT contract failure’

Scotland’s new tax collector has been accused of blaming telecoms firm BT for failings which saw technology costs double to £122 million, with millions more written off. (Source: http://ning.it/QhDqkB )

 

I hope all of you will be able to come along to the briefing UNISON has invited you to on Wednesday 14 November 2012.

 

As ever if there is a point of clarification or concern please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

 

The Grimmond Room in Portcullis House House of Commons London SW1A 0AA Maximum 70 people. Set up time from 6.30pm.

 

Library Staff were issued with their At Risk of Redundancy letters this week.  Barnet Council still plan to go ahead with their restructure of the library service, although they have altered their plans to include one more Librarian and one more Library Customer Services Officer.

But Management plan to run Barnet Libraries with only seven professional librarians none of whom will work directly with the public. Para-Professional staff will be expected to take up many of the duties now performed by Librarians while suffering a pay cut as Week End Allowance is removed.

UNISON will carry on opposing this restructure and have drawn up a revised version of the Alternative Library Restructure Proposal which will be sent to members in the near future.

UNISON representative will attend the following At Risk Meetings to offer advice and support members:

Children’s’ Librarians         Tuesday        6th    November

Adult Librarians                   Wednesday 8th    November

Bibliographic Services       Thursday     15th     November

Edgware Library                   Wednesday 14th   November

East Finchley Library           Thursday       15th    November

Chipping Barnet Library      Friday            16th   November

UNISON members will be visiting all the libraries in the next few weeks to consult with members on the Library Restructure.