Category: Housing

“No stone left unturned” Number 3: Does it make sense to have a Barnet Council CEO & CEO The Barnet Group.

ASSIST, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Housing, Local, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet

For transparency the salary details of the Barnet Council Chief Executive salary are £201,456 to £212,685

(Source: https://www.barnet.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pay_policy_statement_2024_2025.pdf )

Barnet Council has responded positively to our request for oncosts information for posts to enable Barnet UNISON to understand the true cost for all posts in the Council.

In the case of the Barnet CEO if oncosts are applied to the figures above, the total oncosts would be £285,214 to £301,183.

Oncosts include National Insurance contributions along with Pension contributions. All staff working directly working for Barnet Council can join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) which is a Defined Benefit Scheme.



For transparency the salary details of CEO of The Barnet Group (TBG) are as follows:


“The highest paid director cost £218,643 including £16,132 of contributions to a defined benefit scheme on the same employees (2023: £211,477).”


Source: https://thebarnetgroup.org/download/the-barnet-group-financial-statements-2023-24/


For transparency Barnet UNISON has emailed TBG to seek clarity about the calculations above. There is no mention of oncosts for this role and we assume that National Insurance contributions are being made for this post. Barnet UNISON has also noticed that it refers to “contributions to a defined benefit scheme.” Barnet UNISON understands that staff working for TBG are not able to join LGPS (which is a defined benefit scheme) and are instead offered to join a Defined Contribution Scheme which is not comparable to LGPS.




Meanwhile in response to Barnet UNISON’s proposal to save money in our original post:


“UPDATED: Barnet Council the Tale of “Three Chief Executives and one plumber” https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/10/18/barnet-council-the-tale-of-three-chief-executives-and-one-plumber/ that by having one Council, Barnet Council has been quick to point out that the CEO of TBG is paid the same as an Executive Director of Housing in other London Councils.


 


UNISON comment. 


Barnet UNISON conducted a short survey of equivalent salaries for Housing in other London Councils.


1. Ealing Council 


Strategic Director £139,830 £185,268


https://www.ealing.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/12546/appendix_1_-_organisational_context_and_principles_for_pay_policy.pdf


2. Haringey Council 


Director  Place and Housing £165,000 – £170,000


https://new.haringey.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-08/Haringey%20staff%20list%20with%20pay%20grades%202024%20.pdf


3. Croydon Council 


Corporate Director Housing £146,020 – £154,731


https://democracy.croydon.gov.uk/documents/s43397/Appendix%201b.pdf


4. Enfield Council 


Strategic Director ‐ Housing & Regeneration £130,000 ‐ £134,999


https://www.enfield.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/3696/Structure-data-Your-council.pdf


Harrow Council 


Director of Housing Place D2 £113,358 – £127,368


https://www.harrow.gov.uk/downloads/file/32034/Senior_Managers_Pay_____20222023.pdf


As we don’t know how TBG calculate oncosts the above data does suggest that there could be a saving if the Housing Service was run by a senior officer working directly for Barnet Council rather that a CEO.


Barnet UNISON is waiting for the breakdown of how TBG calculates oncosts for their posts. In the meantime, our members are under considerable stress due to the financial crisis facing the Council.


Before any services or jobs are deleted Barnet Council must show full transparency by insisting that TBG comply with Localism Act 2011 – Openness and accountability in local pay


“1.1. Section 38(1) of the Localism Act 2011 requires local authorities to publish an annual pay policy statement.


In the Pay Policy document that is published annually the Council set out the reasons why they publish the salaries of certain Council posts.


You can view the relevant paragraph below and here is the link


https://www.barnet.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pay_policy_statement_2024_2025.pdf


Related Remuneration and Transparency Context


1.5. The Council follows the transparency requirements on remuneration as set out in the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 issued in February 2015 by the then Department for Communities and Local Government; and specific guidance relevant to the Localism Act issued by the Department in February 2012 and February 2013.


1.6. The Code of Recommended Practice for Local Authorities on Data Transparency includes publishing information relating to salaries over £58,200. Similarly, the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 stipulates that salaries over £50,000 should be published. In order to comply with both Codes, the Council publishes a summary of posts that are paid more than £50,000. The summary is available on the website of the Council and is periodically updated.”


Barnet UNISON is waiting to hear back from Barnet Council on this point.


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“No stone left unturned” Number 1: Update of Barnet Council Agency Spend.
		
		
 
	
		Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Housing, Local, News, Pensions, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


After a delay by Barnet Council in publishing the figures online, Barnet UNISON is now able to see the latest Agency Spend up to 30 September 2024.


This data represents six months of agency spend.


First the good news.


As our members will know the last time we looked at the agency spend up to 31 August, Barnet Council had spent £11,950,348 million on agency workers. UNISON forecasted that if Barnet Council continued this rate of spend for the rest of the year the Council will have spent £28,680,836 million, which would be a record breaking spend when compared with the last 15 years of agency spend. The good news is that our forecast is down by £1,411,295 million which demonstrates that the brakes have been applied to agency spend.


The bad news is that even with this reduction the Council is still heading for a massive record breaking spend of £27,269,541 million which would be a record breaking spend when compared with the last 15 years of agency spend.




UNISON comment.


We are waiting. UNISON has been waiting for two and half months to be provided with a breakdown of agency worker spend across the Council workforce. 20 years ago UNISON used to be provided by Barnet Council with a breakdown of the staffing establishment including vacant posts and agency workers by directorate. It is concerning that we are approaching a timetable of potential redundancy consultations and UNISON still has no insight as to where there are vacancies and where agency workers are being deployed.


We understand that the report going to Cabinet Committee on Thursday 5 December 2024 will provide some insight as to where there will be possible redundancies. Once statutory redundancy consultation begins Barnet Council has a lawful duty to provide this staffing/agency information to UNISON.


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“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 7: Part Three
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, COVID 19, H&S, Housing, Local, London Living Wage, News, Solidarity, TBG Flex, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Ever since we published our article called Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, we have been inundated with questions about The Barnet Group (TBG).


Barnet UNISON published three animations which were put together with the help of our Barnet UNISON reps in TBG


Here is Animation Number Three which we noticed someone was watching it on a bus.




After watching this animation we strongly recommend you reading our article Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, here https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/10/18/barnet-council-the-tale-of-three-chief-executives-and-one-plumber/


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“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 5: Part One
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, ASSIST, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Care & Support, Health and Safety, Housing, Local, News, Pensions, Recruitment, Solidarity, TBG Flex, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Ever since we published our article called Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, we have been inundated with questions about The Barnet Group (TBG).


Barnet UNISON published three animations which were put together with the help of our Barnet UNISON reps in TBG


Here is Animation Number One which appears to have been viewed in the Council Main Office in Colindale.




After watching this animation we strongly recommend you reading our article Three Chief Executives and a Plumber, here https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/10/18/barnet-council-the-tale-of-three-chief-executives-and-one-plumber/


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Bad News for Housing Workers in Barnet Council
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, Housing, Local, News, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			


On Tuesday 16 July Barnet Council Cabinet Committee met and agreed to carry on with the outsourced Barnet Homes model of employment.


According to one councillor “If something isn’t broken don’t fix it, is my mantra,”


(You can view the discussion and quote two hours, two minutes and 10 seconds on the Council recording of the meeting access via this link https://rb.gy/6d51j0 )


Barnet UNISON had submitted a report to the Cabinet Committee which members can read by clicking on the link below.


https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UNISON-Housing-Service-Report-2024.pdf


I have been attending Council Committee meetings as a UNISON rep for almost 28 years and in all that time one thing that stands out when all councillors are speaking about council services is that they fail to acknowledge that without the workforce there would be no services for residents.


For instance, where they are discussing a decision which has a fundamental impact on the workforce, they refuse to allow UNISON to speak and answer questions from councillors about our own report and recommendations.


Barnet UNISON has hundreds of outsourced members who are all providing services on behalf of Barnet Council, yet they are not entitled to Barnet Council Terms and Condition or access to the Local Government Pension Scheme. Over the past 15 years outsourcing services has been the direction of travel for many of our members.


What councillors and senior officers who draft the reports promoting the outsourcing don’t want to discuss is the detrimental impact of outsourcing on the workforce. They are keen to offer words of comfort, but as our members know words of comfort do not pay the rent, the energy bills, the food shop. There is no discount for outsourced workers when the council tax bill arrives, or travel cost go up again.


We are in the worst cost of living crisis in 77 years and many of our members in the outsourced workforce need to two jobs to survive and even that is not enough, and they are forced to rely on food banks.


What we have in Barnet is a Two-Tier workforce and it is our duty as a trade union to try and negotiate an end to outsourcing.


For Housing workers, it is deeply disappointing that members of the committee do not see the connection between how the staff are treated in terms of pay and terms and conditions and service delivery.


There is only one other ALMO in London whilst every other Housing worker is on Council Terms and Conditions with access to the Pension scheme.


Barnet UNISON believes that Housing workers deserve better which is why we are supporting UNISON National Policy “Bringing Services Home” campaign.


Look out for our communications which start in the Autumn. A campaign must involve member not just the reps.


If you are a Housing worker and have a question, please email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk


John Burgess Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.


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https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UNISON-Housing-Service-Report-2024.pdf

			

		

		
		


	
		
			
	

		
		
Insourcing win at Barnet council
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, Austerity, Health and Safety, Housing, Libraries, Local, National, News, Recruitment, Report, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign	



	
		

			
		
					

			
Insourcing win at Barnet council


Over 300 staff in a variety of services like trading standards, environmental health and other regulatory services, will now be transferred back in-house


Staff at Barnet council are due to be transferred back to council employment thanks to a decade-long campaign by UNISON.


The 330 affected workers are currently employed by outsourcing multinational conglomerate, Capita, and are being brought back in house after the council was used as a test case for the outsourcing of local government services.


The staff who work under a joint venture called ‘Capita Re’ in a variety of areas like trading standards, environmental health, planning highways and other regulatory services, will be TUPE transferred back in house on 1 April this year.


In 2012, much of the service provision at the council was outsourced to Capita on decade-long contracts by the Conservative-controlled council, with the intervening 10 years marred by several controversies including a multi-million-pound fraud and contracts running vastly over budget.


Barnet’s UNISON branch has campaigned for services to be brought back in-house since the contracts were initially handed to Capita and there have already been major in-sourcing successes at the council.


In May last year, Labour won control of the council after 20 years of Conservative leadership and, though the contracts had already been due to end next year, the new council has fast-tracked plans by six months to bring some services back in house.


John Burgess, Barnet local government branch secretary, said: “This is good news for staff, good news for residents and good news for the services. I welcome the decision and look forward to welcoming back all the services back into Barnet Council where they all belong.


“For a decade, our branch has campaigned for local government services at Barnet to be brought back in-house and, while we are happy that this latest has been fast tracked, there are still many issues to address for our members who are being TUPE’d.


“These include workplace inequalities such as staff being paid differently for the same role. Barnet UNISON is already seeking discussions with the council about harmonisation of the terms and conditions of the TUPE’d workforce.


“During the worst cost of living crisis in 75 years it is imperative that our branch does it best to look after the interests of our members transferring back into the council.”


https://www.unison.org.uk/news/2023/01/insourcing-win-at-barnet-council/


 

			

		

		
		


	
		
			
			
	

		
		
Breaking News: UNISON President & Vice President are joining the mass lobby at Hendon Town Hall Tuesday 1 November
		
		
 
	
		Anti - Racism, ASSIST, Austerity, Barnet Group, Barnet Homes, COVID 19, H&S, Health and Safety, Housing, Local, National, Repairs, Solidarity, TBG Flex, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign, Your Choice Barnet	



	
		

			
		
					

			


News in that our UNISON National President Andrea Egan and UNISON National Vice President Amerit Rait are attending the mass lobby outside Hendon Town Hall on Tuesday 1 November from 6 pm in support of the Barnet Strikers.


“I want to thank both Andrea and Amerit for taking time out of their busy schedules to come down and support our Barnet Strikers. This is what leadership means. It’s what workers want to see from their union. Our branch is 100% behind our Barnet Strikers also known as the “Barnet Ten” and so is the leadership at the top of UNISON. I can’t wait to hear the message they will be bringing to the employer the Barnet Group who defending the indefensible at the expense of Barnet Council housing tenants. 200 repairs jobs a week are being cancelled it’s a disgrace.” (John Burgess Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON).


Directions to the lobby: Nearest tube is Hendon Central on northern line. Turn right out of the station. It’s a 10 minute walk to the top of the hill. Turn right and 200 yards on the left is the Town Hall.


 


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