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Dear Colleagues

I understand that tomorrow you have been invited to meet with FM Conway and EC Harris. I hope you take up this offer to meet the Bidders as I know you will have many questions which I hope they will be able to answer.

Two weeks ago I wrote to the Council seeking a meeting with the Bidders, this request has been refused.

For your information last year Barnet UNISON wrote to all the companies taking part in Dialogue 1 for DRS. To date we have not had a reply I hope you all fare better.

Barnet UNISON 6 key questions

Your proposed new model of service delivery

1. Please describe how you would develop and improve all of the services throughout the whole life of the contract. In particular, please outline your plans for

·         innovative and continuous improvement

·         achieving and monitoring high levels of customer satisfaction

·         effective consultation and engagement with residents, officers and members

·         involving the staff and trade unions and detail what role they will have in this process

·         meeting the Council’s target of 10% cost savings and the 5% increase in income?

 

2. How are you going to be able to maximise the opportunities provided by links with other organisations, the development of central government’s agenda for local authorities and the opportunities for inward investment of all kinds that will be available as a result of the Councils regeneration programmes.

Please describe what measures you will put in place to address this aim, including each council service in your response.

 

3. In these ever changing global economic times how do you propose to meet the Council’s ever changing strategic requirements?

These are likely to be substantial, and might be due to (for example) changes in the council’s political leadership, central government objectives or relevant changes in legislation that we want to or must account for.

 

4. What do you see as the key financial, operational, democratic governance and employment risks in this contract and how do you propose to mitigate these risks?

 

5. Central Government recognises that LG has a key role to play in stimulating economic growth locally. This contract is looking to make significant cost reduction and income generation please provide details as to how you aim to reach these targets with details of the effect on the economic activity within the borough over the course of the contract period?

·         What contribution can you make to regeneration in Barnet, in particular, the creation of additional employment opportunities for local people and the use of local sub contractors? Will you engage sub contractors on a similar price structure as the main contract to encourage local firms and employment?

6. Do you plan to bid for all the services in the ITPD and which services will be delivered by subcontractors? How do you plan to monitor their performance?

 

* =  Local Government

** = Invitation to Participate in Dialogue

 

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

 

 

 

 

 

Project X was one of the action to be completed on the last day of One Barnet strike action on Thursday 9 February.

Letters were sent to 6 Big private sector companies

The letters were signed by staff currently working in services which are down to be outsourced early 2013.

This is what was in the letter

Dear Chief Executive

We are employees for the London Borough of Barnet providing services which your company is interested in taking over. We are currently in dispute with our employer, London Borough of Barnet, as we wish to remain working for the authority and to be based in Barnet.

We want to take this opportunity on the fourth day of strike action to pass on this message that staff want to remain employees of Barnet Council. This is not a reflection of the way we view your business. We hope that you will take our position into consideration in your ongoing discussions with Barnet Council.

Yours sincerely,

John Burgess

Branch Secretary

Barnet UNISON

Proof of delivery to

Serco,

BT,

Capita,

FM Conway,

EC Harris,

HCL Axon (consortium)

*** UPDATE since we delivered the letters, the Council annouced yesterday that BT & Capita were selected to go through to the next round and Serco and HCL Axon (consortium) were unsuccessful.

 

 

 

 

It is really is important that members are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. You can opt in to the scheme by completing a form.

To download the form click here

 

Just to confirm that at one of the staff briefings today council workers were told that BT & Capita were two successful bidders through to the next round of the £750million pound contract to run support services and a call centre.

The unlucky bidders were Serco and HCL Axon (Consortium)

A fuller report will be produced in due course.

 

 

The staggering news coming out of Somerset reinforces Barnet UNISON’s concerns about the evidence to support the savings claimed by the One Barnet projects.

SouthwestOne involves one of the biggest Multinational companies in the world. It was touted as a no brainer by its supporters. It was shrouded in secrecy, but residents, politicans and staff were told it was the best way to prepare for the future.

The comments coming from the Conservative Leader of Somerset Council are extraordinary

 “failing to deliver promised savings; failing to cope with a changing financial landscape; failing to be flexible enough to adapt in challenging times and provide the best possible value for money.”

All of these points have been repeatedly raised by UNISON is the countless number of reports we have been producing over the last four years.

Take a look at the latest news coming out of Somerset.

The Conservative leader of Somerset County Council, Councillor Ken Maddock

 “I have to say that Southwest One is failing this test. We are currently looking at all our services and all our contracts to see whether we are doing the best we can for our customers, whether we are providing the best possible services for our customers and at the best possible prices for our customers.

“We need a council that can cope with future government cuts and rising demand. 

“Sadly, Southwest One is failing. It is failing to deliver promised savings; failing to cope with a changing financial landscape; failing to be flexible enough to adapt in challenging times and provide the best possible value for money.

 http://www.tauntonpeople.co.uk/Budget-cut-private-policy-fails/story-15245728-detail/story.html

Somerset County Council says SouthWest One ‘not delivering’

In 2007, the IBM won an administration and back office task contract, to save the Conservative-led authority about £180m, over 10 years.

“SouthWest One’s accounts year-on-year, show losses, staggering losses, just published of £31m, and failures to meet modest savings targets,” said Mr Maddock.

“Mr Maddock said as a result of its performance, a review would be carried out on all council services in order to achieve the savings it needed, a figure he estimated to be £20m.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-17066330

Southwest One gets £10m IBM loan amid ‘staggering’ losses

The leader of Somerset county council, Ken Maddock, has said that Southwest One is failing to deliver, that its accounts show “staggering losses” of £31.5m and “failures to hit modest savings targets”.

Southwest One was set up in 2007 as a joint venture between IBM, Somerset county council, Taunton Deane borough council and Avon and Somerset police to modernise the public sector bodies’ business processes.

Maddock told a council meeting: “It is failing to deliver promised savings; failing to cope with a changing financial landscape; failing to be flexible enough to adapt in challenging times and provide the best possible value for money.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/government-computing-network/2012/feb/16/southwest-one-ibm-loan-council?newsfeed=true

 

IBM hook-up with councils loses £31.5m By Gill Hitchcock, Guardian Government Computing, 17 February, 2012

The leader of Somerset county council, Ken Maddock, has said that Southwest One is failing to deliver, that its accounts show “staggering losses” of £31.5m and “failures to hit modest savings targets”.

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/business-of-it/2012/02/17/ibm-hook-up-with-councils-loses-315m-40095068/

 

‘Failing’ Southwest One comes under fire from Somerset County Council leader

A controversial venture set up to save taxpayers millions of pounds has lost £31 million and is so inflexible that it is making the job of finding savings even harder.

The Conservative leader of Somerset County Council, Councillor Ken Maddock, launched a blistering attack on the public-private partnership Southwest One at the council’s packed budget-fixing meeting yesterday.

http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Failing-Southwest-comes-Somerset-County-Council/story-15242751-detail/story.html

Southwest One receives IBM rescue loan

Southwest One, the troubled West Country council shared services venture, has confirmed it has received urgent funding from its supplier.

IBM has issued a multimillion pound loan to Southwest One, in order to keep the venture afloat. Southwest One, in its latest annual accounts issued this month, reported a £31 million loss.

http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/3338025/southwest-one-bailed-out-by-ibm/

 

 

28 February

Cabinet Resources Committee which is looking at the NSOCSO business case

Hendon Town Hall

86% of our members in Social Care Direct took part in the action last week. This is a great start to their campaign to remain as Council Employees. Some were able to take part in the picket line – probably the coldest picket line we’ve had so far – and a couple came with us to help out on the voluntary project. Most people do not find it easy taking part in strike action and so a big congratulations goes out to those colleagues and to all those who sent messages of support and encouragement. A big thank you to those who wore green and purple on the day also!

Barnet UNISON have invited Edinburgh UNISON down to speak at our AGM on Thursday 1 March.

Edinburgh Council also have been through massively expensive Competitive Dialogue using expensive consultants and had even named the contractor to take on the 2,000 council workers, when at the eleventh hour, councillors across the political divide woke up and smelt the coffee and reversed the decision. Read the article here

Below are Ten reasons why City of Edinburgh Councillors should oppose privatisation (and they did)

1 – Privatisation doesn’t work. From fatal accidents on unsafe railways, and deaths from hospital infections to the soar away bills of energy companies. Private companies put profit before people, cutting corners and selling the tax payer short.

2 – If private companies are so wise with money why do so many go bust? The residents in Southern Cross care homes have had an anxious year praying that the spectacular demise of the profligate care company doesn’t leave them on the streets. Edinburgh’s preferred bidder for environmental services has only just been rescued from £740 million debt by the intervention of a consortium of banks. Privatisation is laden with risk.

 

3 – Once their feet are under the table, private companies drive up costs. Another Edinburgh bidder, BT, just agreed to refund £27 million to the people of Liverpool after a report found they were massively overcharging the local council.

 

4 – Managing commercial contracts is an art that takes skill to master. We don’t have to remind people of the tram fiasco in Edinburgh, but a recent Audit Scotland report indicated the council still lacks the ability to manage large commercial contracts. We need another tram fiasco like a hole in the head!

 

5 – Along with worries for service users, privatisation brings fear to the workforce. Fear of job losses and fear of pay cuts. Two hundred jobs will go if councillors vote for privatisation on Thursday and the pension scheme will close its door on new employees. The beginning of the end for decent pensions in the capital.

 

6 – Not all private companies are the same but two companies who progressed during the Edinburgh bidding process were caught concealing the fact they had been prosecuted and convicted for unsafe practices which led to workplace deaths. The public sector works to higher standards of safety and integrity.

 

7 – Privatisation plans are hidden behind a veil of secrecy. All the key documents for Edinburgh privatisation are locked in a “data room” away from public scrutiny. Even the MORI report on local attitudes to privatisation is secret. Apparently the views of the people might prejudice the position of the council. We need to preserve openness and transparency in local government.

 

8 – Local service providers should be accountable to elected councillors not shareholders. Neither the Liberal Democrats nor the SNP were elected with a mandate for privatisation yet they could tie the council to a private contract for twelve years. It will be the private contract and not newly elected councillors which will determine how services are provided. Why bother voting in the next three elections? Privatisation undermines local democracy.

 

9 – In addition to having no mandate from the electorate, the council in Edinburgh never went to the public to explain their plans. There has been no public consultation. Council services belong to the people. They have a right to have their say. They have a right to be heard.

 

10 – With the exception of a few failed bankers, the council’s money problems were not caused by the people of Edinburgh. They certainly were not caused by the workers. No street sweeper brought the country to its knees by gambling with the nation’s wealth. Why should we pay with the loss of jobs and services?

These are just the top ten reasons to oppose privatisation. There are many more. If Edinburgh goes private council services across Scotland will be at risk. We ask people to join us in a simple message – Scotland wants services based on public need, not private greed

Dear Colleagues

I am concerned to hear there is growing confusion amongst staff in relation to personal data currently being held on staff prior to the TUPE transfer.

It is important that every member views all their personal data before they are transferred the new employer.

However in the interim members should send the following to their line manger and HR Connect

“To whom it may concern.

I am shortly to be TUPE transferred out of the Council to the following employer (insert NSL). I understand the Council will be transferring personal data at this company. I am therefore requesting that all personal data currently being held by Barnet Council is provided for me to read as a matter of urgency. For the sake of clarity this includes all personal data held on SAP, Wisdom and any paper files held at any other locations including HR.

I will require a hard copies of this personal data and time off to check the accuracy.

I have also been informed and understand that the £10.00 fee will be waived as I am  about to undergo a TUPE transfer.

I look forward to hearing back from you in due course.”

I understand that a number of staff have already made a request and not had a reply. Please can you alert your local rep so that we can pursue this matter on your behalf.

Best wishes

John