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UNISON response to Proposed Transfer of the Housing Service to Barnet Homes and the Barnet Group

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Barnet UNISON Questions to Cabinet Resources Committee on the Proposed Transfer of the Housing Service to Barnet Homes and the Barnet Group

1. Given that Barnet Homes already manage the void process closely with HNR, please provide evidence to support the assumption that performance will markedly improve following the merge?

2. There has recently been a significant increase in demand for homelessness services and there is an expectation that this will be sustained following the welfare reforms. How does the Council expect to manage this whilst at the same time making reductions in frontline staffing?

3. The 2012/13 400k savings required means that if Housing staff are transferred into Barnet Homes, the 60/40 split between General fund and HRA means that 10 posts will need to be cut to meet a required savings of 6 posts. In other words, if housing staff are transferred into Barnet Homes, a greater number of job cuts will be required to achieve the same degree of savings. How will this loss of posts lead to an improved customer experience?

4. What measures are in place to manage a fair and equitable process of implementing the staff cuts across LBB and Barnet Homes?

5. In considering the potential savings via posts [Table 2 in the report to Cabinet Resources Committee and 6.12 in the document going to General Functions], the cost of funding the posts of the Head of Service and the Accommodation and Resources staff appears to have been lumped together. If so, please explain why and provide a breakdown of the costs and expected savings.

6. Both Barnet Homes and Housing Needs and Resources should know how many vacancies they have. Please provide details of just how much of the savings can be realistically made via these vacancies.

 

 

 

 

To view full details of our report to Cabinet Resources Committee click here

UPDATE on UNISON response to Parking being outsourced to NSL

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urgent update

Yesterday all the contractors were formally told who had won the contraxct.

The Council is now in what is known as the Alacatel period

When does the Standstill Period commence?

The period kicks in from the date the authority decides to award the contract. Usually this will come towards the end of an often lengthy procurement process where bidders will have been shortlisted and finally whittled down to one, for example through a process called “competitive dialogue”. At that point, when the authority makes its selection, the Alcatel Letter is issued and the standstill period should then commence. At the end of that period the contract is signed.

How long is the Standstill Period?

10 to 15 days from the decision to award, depending on the method by which the Alcatel letter is communicated. This is designed to give unsuccessful bidders an opportunity to challenge the award if they believe there has been a breach of the procurement rules.

Who should be sent an Alcatel letter?

Both the successful and unsuccessful “tenderers” and “candidates” in a procurement.. In other words, not only unsuccessful bidders but also any applicant who submitted a “PQQ” (a completed prequalification questionnaire) should receive one.

Full details here

To view our report click here

UNISON response to AUDIT Committee

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Dear Members of the Audit Committee

 

Please find enclosed UNISON’s response here to Agenda Item 10: Procurement Controls and Monitoring Plan Progress Report

 

Agenda Item 10 is a key report which no doubt you will give due attention and regard. I have been a regular attendee of Audit Committee and feel confident you will welcome our comments and questions.

 

The Council has made a political decision to become a Commissioning Council whereby it no longer provides services yet still wants to be able to ensure the provision of excellent services, alongside effective governance and strong performance.

For any organisation, public or private to make such far reaching transformation it  must seek assurance that it has sufficient control over spend and procurement.

 

This UNISON report to the Audit Committee is our attempt to publicly identify the risks and our concerns about the above report and furthermore highlight the bigger concern that the Council is not fit and ready for such a massive transformation to become a ‘Commissioning Council’. 

 

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of this report please do not hesistate to contact me.

 

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

0208 359 2088

www.barnetunison.me.uk

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Defend Our Pensions

Pension Strike Pay deductions to be donated to Barnet Mayor’s Charity

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The following Employers have been sent this letter from the branch.

Employer Name

L B Barnet

The Fremantle Trust

Barnet and Southgate College

Barnet Homes ALMO

Hendon Academy

Housing 21

The Compton Academy

Mill Hill High Academy

Finchley Catholic High School

London Academy

Whitefield Academy

Lovell Partnerships Ltd

Ashmole Academy

Sacred Heart RC Primary School

St. Marys C of E High School

Bishop Douglass School

Queen Elizabeth’s Girls Academy

St. Josephs Infant School

Dollis Junior School

Greenwich Leisure Limited

Turners Industrial Cleaning Systems

Osidge Primary School

St. James Catholic High School

Monken Hadley CE Primary School

Rosh Pinah School

St. Agnes RC Primary School

St. Josephs RC Junior School

St. Pauls CE Primary School

 

30th November – “Everybody’s Doing It!”

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The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists members put their best foot forward and are out with us 30th November.

The Society of Radiographers members see through government plans to reduce their pension and will walkout 30th November.

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy members exercises their right to protest by taking strike action 30th November.

Occupational Therapists are equipped to take strike action 30th November

Refuse workers refuse to work 30th November

Having slept on it residential workers strike 30th November

Workers in Children’s Centres stop playing around and are out 30th November

Library workers have read up on it and are on strike 30th November

Social workers have assessed the situation and are on strike 30th November

Highways workers have seen the signs and are on strike 30th November

Revenues and Benefits workers say you can count on us and are on strike 30th November

Teachers & Head Teachers have agreed to teach the Government a lesson on strike 30th November.

University & College Lecturers won’t accept any lectures from Government and are on strike 30th November.

Planners are making plans to take strike action 30th November

Finance workers have done the maths and they are taking strike action on 30th November

Pension workers know a thing about Pensions and are taking strike action on 30th November

…and more and more and 2-3million more…including, school support staff, civil servants

The richest 1% of the population has much to gain if you do not take strike action. If you are reading this then you are not part of that 1%. Stand with the 99% which wants a fairer society where our children have a real future.

Dave Prentis UNISON general secretary says:

http://www.unison.org.uk/efocus/allmember05.asp

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