Category: Austerity
Pensions: “How bad does it have to get?”
“The Chairman stated that having considered the report and the verbal comments made he was appalled by the state of affairs and requested that this be minuted. He noted that this had happened before and he noted a case where it appeared that a Member of staff could not retire as there was no admission agreement was in place. Mr Hopkins noted this and stated that this work should have been performed and taken place in 2017. The Chairman again stated that he was appalled by this and that he would personally report this point to the Chairman of the Pension Fund Committee.”
(Source: Local pension Board 11 February 2019 https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=753&MId=9712
“The results show a significant number of ‘critical errors’ that the administrators, Capita, will be required to address before actuarial calculations can begin.”
“Membership data needs to be fit for purpose so that the valuation can proceed. At present, the data held by Capita is not to the required standard meaning that the valuation process cannot commence.”
“As discussed in the report, having satisfactory data quality is necessary to complete the 2019 triennial valuation. Incomplete or suspect data may delay the valuation or require the Actuary to make assumptions that impact on employer contribution rates. Similarly, data issues can lead to delays or errors in benefit awards.”
(Source: Local pension Board 11 February 2019 https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s51049/Data_Quality_Report_Final.pdf )
Barnet UNISON comment: First we again stand solidly behind the Chair of the Pension Board. The Pension Administration service has been a prolonged catalogue of errors for the past few years. It has incurred reputational damage to the Council and has been reported twice to the Pensions Regulator.
The recent report on the quality of the data and the risk for the 2019 triennial valuation does beg the question “how badly do Capita have to perform before a service is brought back in-house?”
Our members deserve better as does the Council. In light of the litany of issues it is inexplicable that the Pension Service is only in phase four of the review of Capita services. The Pension Service needs to be brought back into Council control as a matter of urgency.
***Please note that the use of emphasis/underlining is made by Barnet UNISON.
To view the flyer please click on the link below
#Capita: Southampton Council & the risk of delays
“Southampton staff affected as council ends Capita deal.”
24 July 2018
“Capita has run Southampton’s customer services, HR pay, revenues and benefits, procurement, health and safety, print, post room and IT services for 11 years.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-44937942
Barnet UNISON comment: There was no Council Committee decision publicly made before this announcement until Southampton Council held a Cabinet meeting on 18 September 2018. The report to Cabinet Committee was confidential and only the following was reported:
Cabinet: Tuesday, 18th September, 2018 4.30 pm
Update on Strategic Services Partnership
Confidential report of the Leader detailing an update on the Strategic Services Partnerships.
Minutes:
(i) The Service Director for Digital and Business Operations, after consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Customer Experience, is authorised to commence formal dispute resolution proceedings over commercial disputes with Capita if required;
(ii) Adult social care expenditure is included in the Procurement Guarantee for the purposes of the Council’s claim in the event of formal dispute resolution;
(iii) A ‘no comment’ policy continues to apply while commercial negotiations with Capita continue;
(iv) The Service Director for Digital and Business Operations is authorised to instruct Capita’s Procurement team to immediately begin procurement of a Revenues and Benefits system and any other systems or products deemed essential to the continued delivery of services to staff, Members and the public, to ensure no service interruption;
(v) The Service Director for Finance and Commercialisation is authorised to highlight the financial risks posed by the Capita claim and the cost of an arbitration process as necessary in public budget consultation documents, which may need to set out what additional savings are required as a result of not reaching agreement with Capita.
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/modernGov/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=126&MId=3826&Ver=4
The decision to end the contract with Capita was publicly reported the following month in the minutes of the Cabinet Committee.
Cabinet: Tuesday, 16th October, 2018 4.30 pm
UPDATE ON STRATEGIC SERVICES DECISION MADE: (CAB 18/19 21455)
On consideration of the confidential report of the Leader and Clean Growth and Development, Cabinet agreed the following:-
(i) Cabinet approved the recommendations set out in the confidential report.
https://www.southampton.gov.uk/modernGov/documents/s37129/Minutes.pdf
What happened next?
TUPE transfer negotiations are currently taking place with staff due to transfer back into Southampton Council by July 2019.
This will mean a large contract with Capita will be terminated and services transferred back to the Council within 10 months.
Barnet UNISON comment:
In our report to Policy and Resources Committee in December 2018 we identified serious risks with the prolonged 18 month review of both Capita contracts.
Feedback from our members of staff vacancies and changes are undermining morale.
It has become evident that vacancies on the Capita contract are not helping provide services for the Council or for residents.
Capita: Commissioner and User satisfaction.
The table provided above by Barnet Blogger Mr Reasonable paints a worrying picture. Things are getting worse not better and it is not the union saying it, it is the “Users” and the “Commissioners”.
Barnet UNISON comment: It’s not working, Commissioners by their own admission are unable to hold Capita to account. Barnet Council needs to grasp the nettle and announce the end of both contracts and set out a clear transition plan for the return of services and their budgets.
Highways Service.
“Risk ID OP14: Insufficient staff in Highways: “Difficulties in retaining experienced and qualified Highways staff could lead to non-qualified staff being tasked to deliver specialised priority tasks resulting in poor delivery of tasks, non-compliance to statutory design requirements/standards, risk of Injury, insurance.”
(Source: Corporate Risk Register 20 February, 2019, Policy and Resources Committee https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s51205/Appendix%20A%20Corporate%20risk%20register.pdf )
Barnet UNISON comment: This is a high profile service and we can confirm that this risk is still real. The prolonged delay on the decision to bring the service back under Council control is exacerbating the issues and the knock on negative impact will continue to be felt by residents.
To view flyer click here Briefing Number 4 – Southampton and
Vote Now To Save Your Job In Your School
Vote Now To Save Your Job
UNISON is conducting an online ballot of UNISON members working on Schools in England.
Schools are facing cuts each year that directly impact on our members.
This has to stop.
The online ballot asks only three questions.
1. Do you believe the government funding cuts are having a negative effect on jobs, workloads, stress, etc.
2. Do you believe Unison should continue to campaign on school funding for jobs pay and terms and conditions.
3. Would you be prepared to take industrial action to secure more money for jobs, pay, and terms and conditions in schools.
It’s that simple. UNISON needs to hear from every single member working in a school.
NOT VOTED YET?
Check that we have your current email address at unison.org.uk/myunison
We will send you an email when the ballot opens explaining how you can vote.
Visit unison.org.uk/speakupforschools to get more information on the issues and a link
to the online ballot.
To vote you will need your date of birth and your National Insurance number or UNISON membership number.
Please have your say – we need to know what you think.
Ballot closes 5 March
HEALTH WARNING: Barnet UNISON members “Your Rights At Work” guide.
This short “Your ‘Rights At Work’ guide is intended to alert all of our members working for Barnet Council to their ‘Rights at Work’
We have noticed a significant increase in case work across the Council and in some cases we are hearing reports of workers being told ‘you don’t need to involve the union’.
Please, please do not go into meetings without your trade union rep. It is much harder trying to protect “Your ‘Rights At Work’ if you have gone into earlier meetings without your union rep.
To view our “Your Rights At Work” guide click on link below.
2019.01.31 Rights at work FINAL
Remember this:
“If in doubt ring Barnet UNISON on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk”.
*****Cleaners now on London Living Wage*****
Friday 1 February 2019 was a big day for all cleaners working on the outsourced Barnet Council Corporate Cleaning contract.
All cleaners working on the Barnet Corporate Cleaning contract moved from £7.83 an hour to £10.55 an hour.
After 15 years of lobbying to get them on the London Living Wage it has finally happened.
No worker in Barnet Council earns less than LLW and that has been included in the most recent outsourced contracts.
#Capita consultation only 2 weeks to go !
Dear Barnet resident.
I am writing to you as the Lead Barnet UNISON rep on behalf my members who work on the two #Capita contracts here in Barnet.
Barnet UNISON has campaigned for over a decade to oppose mass outsourcing to Capita. Sadly the outsourcing meant hundreds of redundancies as jobs were moved out of London. The issues with Capita were not just redundancies, service issues started to emerge across a large number of former Council services.
Barnet UNISON has been campaigning in the community for the past year to bring back services in-house following the collapse of Carillion and Capita’s dramatic share price fall last February 2018.
Following the serious fraud recently committed by a Capita employee the Council has reviewed both contracts and is in the process of bring back Finance and Strategic HR as from 1 April 2019.
However other Council services currently provided by Capita are now being reviewed to see if they should come back in-house.
Here are services currently provided by Capita
Phase 1 – Finance and Strategic HR (the focus of this TUPE consultation)
Phase 2 – Highways and Regeneration (review between Jan to Sept 2019)
Phase 3 – Barnet-based customised services – Estates, Social Care Direct, Safety, Health and Wellbeing , Strategic Planning, Procurement, Insight, Cemetery and Crematorium (review between Jan to Sept 2019)
Phase 4 – Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services, Information Services, Planning (Development Management) and Regulatory Services, transactional HR services (including pensions administration). Will form part of the Year 7 Contract Review of both contracts from September 2019 onwards.
Barnet UNISON is campaigning for all services provided by Capita to come back in-house.
I am encouraging all Barnet residents to take part in Barnet Councils Capita online consultation which you can access here https://engage.barnet.gov.uk/strategic-contract-review
The deadline to complete the consultation is Friday 15 February 2019.
It is really important that Barnet Council hears from residents about Capita.
There are 12 questions including some multiple choice and written responses.
In order to encourage and assist Barnet residents to complete the Capita online consultation I strongly recommend residents read this helpful guidance produced by Barnet Alliance for Public Services click on link below
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16sMdE3V9gA1peQ-5Gw1vS7HeqRcFI4aU/view
I have attached a info graphic produced by Barnet Blogger Mr Reasonable showing how many millions Barnet Council have already paid Capita.
Please complete the survey and let others know.
Best wishes
John Burgess
Branch Secretary.
Barnet UNISON
Barnet Council Capita consultation : Complete ASAP
To All Barnet UNISON members living in Barnet
I am writing to you as a member of Barnet UNISON and according to our postcode information a Barnet resident.
Barnet UNISON campaigned for over a decade to oppose mass outsourcing to Capita. Sadly the outsourcing meant hundreds of redundancies as jobs were moved out of London. The issues with Capita were not just redundancies, service issues started to emerge across a large number of former Council services.
Barnet UNISON has been campaigning in the community for the past year to bring back services in-house following the collapse of Carillion and Capita’s dramatic share price fall last February 2018.
Following the serious fraud recently committed by a Capita employee the Council has reviewed both contracts and is in the process of bring back Finance and Strategic HR as from 1 April 2019.
Other former Council services currently provided by Capita are now being reviewed to see if they should come back in-house.
Barnet UNISON is campaigning for services to come back in-house.
As a Barnet resident and UNISON member I am encouraging you to take part in Barnet Councils Capita online consultation which you can access.
The deadline to complete the consultation is Friday 15 February 2019. It is really important that Barnet Council hears from residents about Capita.
There are 12 questions including some multiple choice and written responses.
In order to encourage and assist Barnet residents to complete the Capita online consultation I strongly recommend residents read this helpful guidance produced by Barnet Alliance for Public Services here
****Important links******
- Barnet Council Capita consultation here.
- Helpful guidance here
Bet wishes
John Burgess
Branch Secretary.
Barnet UNISON
Update for Capita Staff in Finance and Strategic HR
Dear member
I am currently involved in TUPE transfer consultations for Finance and Strategic HR with Capita and Barnet Council.
***Please note: I have asked for meetings with Capita in relation to HR and Finance workers who currently provide a Traded Service for Schools. At this moment in time this group of workers are not included in this TUPE consultation. However I have had asked for legal advice from UNISON on this decision. Traded Service for Schools are identified in Phase Four groups of services we are being considered for insourcing.
I understand two meetings with staff with Barnet Council and Capita have been arranged on:
Staff briefings
Tuesday 22 January, 2.30 pm in the Boardroom Building 2, NLBP
Wednesday 23 January, 9.30 am in the Boardroom Building 2, NLBP
It would be useful if you can attend one of these meetings. However, as it was published at short notice I will be asking for other meeting dates to be made available for staff.
One to One meetings.
If any Barnet UNISON members wants a one to one meeting with Capita/Barnet Council and would like a UNISON rep to attend please contact the Barnet UNISON Office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk
Formal TUPE transfer meetings.
These are formal meetings that I attend with Capita and Barnet Council. The next meeting is in 30 January after which they will be weekly until the staff transfer on 1 April 2019.
Communication
Capita and Barnet Council will be providing regular updates and some frequently asked questions. It is important that if you have any issues or concerns you raise them as soon as possible.
Key UNISON meetings for members
There are a couple of branch meetings at which Capita is on the agenda in order staff can ask questions. You can view the details of these meeting meetings on this link https://bit.ly/2DrdO1C
What about the other Capita Services?
The council confirmed further information on the approximate timescales to review the remaining services:
Phase 1 – Finance and Strategic HR (the focus of this TUPE consultation)
Phase 2 – Highways and Regeneration (review between Jan to Sept 2019)
Phase 3 – Barnet-based customised services – Estates, Social Care Direct, Safety, Health and Wellbeing , Strategic Planning, Procurement, Insight, Cemetery and Crematorium (review between Jan to Sept 2019)
Phase 4 – Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services, Information Services, Planning (Development Management) and Regulatory Services, transactional HR services (including pensions administration). Will form part of the Year 7 Contract Review of both contracts from September 2019 onwards.
Best wishes
John Burgess
Branch Secretary.
Barnet UNISON
