Category: News

Non UNISON news

Breaking News: “Seriously are they really keeping Capita?”

Austerity, Local, News, Report, Solidarity, Trades Dispute, UNISON Campaign

 

Barnet UNISON was bitterly disappointed to read that Barnet Council is now back tracking on a decision agreed at a Special Policy and Resources Committee on 19 July 2018.

The decision was to review the council’s partnership with Capita, and authorise the Chief Executive to develop a Full Business Case for all of the following Options:

  1. Keep both Capita contracts as they are now.
  2. Bring some Capita services back in-house from both contracts.
  3. Bring all the services back in-house from both contracts.

“all three options should be fully tested, consulted on and considered in a Full Business Case before a final decision was made”

Barnet Council has now announced that only these services will be brought back in-house:

“It is intended that the report will recommend that Finance and Accounting (excluding transactional services provided from the Darlington shared service centre) and Strategic HR be transferred back to the council by the end of this financial year (March 2019).”

The announcement goes on to add:

“The arrangements for remaining services are still to be considered and timescales will be confirmed in due course. However, it is also likely that the report will recommend that Highways and Regeneration be reviewed as one of the earlier phases.”

The news may come as a surprise to our members, especially in light to recent fraud and the damning Grant Thornton report which is going to be discussed at the Audit Committee on 22 November.

However, Barnet UNISON is not surprised by the decision: this is Barnet.

Last week we sent a report to all Councillors on the Policy and Resources Committee entitled:

 “How bad does it have to get?”

You can read our report here:

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Capita-review-Barnet-UNISON-FINAL.pdf

The sheer number of  Councils ending their contracts with Capita in 2018 is very worrying.

These big contracts are just as complex as the one in Barnet and often involve the same services that Barnet outsourced to Capita.

If Southampton, Sheffield, Blackburn and Birmingham can end contracts with Capita and still make savings then why can’t Barnet?

Barnet UNISON is not giving up on our aim to see all services brought back in-house.

This is why we are directly asking all of our members working for Capita this question:

“If you have any information, questions or concerns that you think we should know about, strictly in confidence, please make urgent contact with the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk”

In the meantime take a look at this infographic below for 2018 only.

 

Barnet House Hub Proposal – Barnet UNISON

Austerity, Local, News, Report

Barnet Council long term accommodation strategy involved staff moving to new build accommodation in Colindale.

The plan was to exit the Barnet House lease early (it expires in 2030) as the Landlord has plans to develop the site. There may even have been a financial payment from the Landlord to request the Council to leave early.

Barnet Council pay approximately £750k rent on the building.

However earlier this year the Landlords plans for Barnet House were rejected

‘Dog kennel’ flats in Barnet will be 40% smaller than Travelodge room

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/mar/27/dog-kennel-flats-barnet-house-smaller-than-travelodge-room

Barnet UNISONs proposal is for Barnet House to be one of the community hubs for staff to work in. Depending on demand there could be opportunities for the Council to rent out office accommodation in order to raise additional income. I understand the cost per square foot at Barnet House is a great deal cheaper NLBP. The site is ideally located to all forms of transport. Barnet UNISON is confident that working from a Barnet House hub would also be popular option for staff across a number of employers and would enable continued access for residents this side of the borough.

Barnet UNISON has submitted this proposal to the Council and will update our members when we have a response.

Capita have now paid your Pension contributions

News, UNISON Campaign

To: Barnet UNISON Capita members 

On Monday 29 October 2018, Barnet UNISON received confirmation that Pension contributions have now been paid into Barnet’s Pensions Fund bank account.

We are now seeking responses to the following:

How did this happen?

Does it have am impact on any staff who have either left or retired in the last 18 months?

Why were staff not informed?

End. 

 

Background:

For details as to what happened follow this link https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2018/10/26/barnet-unison-urgent-pension-information-update-26-october-2018/

 

“How bad must it get before Barnet Council terminate the two Capita contracts?”

Austerity, Local, News, Report, UNISON Campaign

This report is a collection of published online articles in 2018 that relate to Capita failure and organisations taking services back in-house.

Barnet Council is currently conducting a review of both Capita contracts.

However, history of decision making in Barnet leaves Barnet UNISON with a feeling of dread.

Barnet Council likes to be different, to buck the trend hence the easyCouncil model was pushed through despite the best efforts of Barnet UNISON and community campaigners and Barnet Bloggers.

In 2018 Capita issued a Profit warning which saw their Share price drop over the cliff literally days after Carillion collapsed. We now know Government were still awarding contracts to Carillion even when it was clear their share price was going through the floor.

Today 26 October 2018 Capita Share price is £1.20

View our report here How bad must it get

 

Barnet UNISON: Urgent Pension information update 26 October 2018

Austerity, Local, News, Report, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON: Urgent Pension information update 26 October 2018

Dear member

Once again our Pension Administration service has failed and had to be reported to the Pensions Regulator.

“The London Borough of Barnet Council has reported itself to the Pensions Regulator after failing to produce 447 pension benefit statements on time.”

http://www.pensions-expert.com/DB-Derisking/Barnet-in-TPR-breach-as-Capita-misses-payments

This is second year in a row that this has happened.

Barnet UNISON has never known things to be this bad.

The in-house service never had these problems.

Furthermore the article reports:

“The committee also said that outsourcer Capita, which carries out a variety of services for the council and is the pension scheme’s own administrator, has failed to make requisite deficit contributions for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 periods of more than £2m.”

What does this mean?

It means that Capita have apparently not paid any Pension contributions to their own Barnet Capita workforce (CSG and RE) for the past 18 months.

What has Barnet UNISON done?

Barnet UNISON wrote to Mark Dally and John Hooton Chief Executive on 23 October seeking urgent conformation that the pension contributions will be paid immediately and that a communication to all staff is sent confirming that all contributions have been made.

Update:

As of today Friday 26 October 2018 we have not had confirmation that any Pensions contributions to the workforce have been made.

What you can do.

Please check your payslips. You should have a section on your payslip which shows your Pension contribution for that month. Please check to see if you can see if the Employers contribution has been identified. The period that you need to check is for 2017/2018 and 2018/19 to date.

 

If you have any concerns about your Pension and would like a one to one meeting please contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Taxi for Mitie: Council Housing repairs come back in-house

Austerity, Local, News, Solidarity, UNISON Campaign

Hammersmith & Fulham Council is set to return its housing repairs service to council control, bringing to an end the contract with Mitie.

This follows on from winding up Hammersmith and Fulham ALMO, H&F Homes, in 2010.

“We’ve listened to what tenants and leaseholders have told us about the repairs service,” says Cllr Lisa Homan, Cabinet Member for Housing. “That’s why we will now take back direct control of the repair and maintenance for our 17,000 homes.

“We’re determined to provide a safe and secure place to live for our tenants and leaseholders. This decision is the start of a new way to deliver for our residents.”

The council will now set up a new council-run repairs service, a direct labour organisation, which will work alongside a range of new contractors to deliver repairs.

https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/articles/news/2018/10/hf-return-its-housing-repair-service-council-control

https://www.24housing.co.uk/yournews/hammersmith-fulham-to-bring-housing-almo-back-under-council-control/

Barnet UNISON have written to Barnet Group Chief Executive asking if Barnet Homes will be doing the same. The private contractor Mears currently provide Council Housing repair service.

Barnet UNISON call-out for people to give evidence at the #KickOutCapita Inquiry

Austerity, News, Report, UNISON Campaign

Barnet UNISON call-out for people to give evidence at the #KickOutCapitaInquiry

If you are a Barnet resident or Barnet UNISON member and want to give evidence to the #KickOutCapitaInquiry  in person or want to provide evidence but remain anonymous please 
please email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

Already a number of people have already registered their intention to submit evidence to the #KickOutCapita Inquiry which is being held at the

Committee Room 10,

House of Commons Westminster, London SW1A 0AA.

On Tuesday 6 November 2018 at 7pm

Please arrive early as there will be a queue for security checks.

Meeting is sponsored by Barnet Alliance for Public Services and Barnet UNISON

Chair: Aditya Chakrabortty Guardian columnist and senior economics commentator

Purpose of Inquiry

To hear evidence from residents, trade unions, politicians on what Capita has done in Barnet and elsewhere and end with a set of recommendations.

How you can help.

  1. Please join #KickOutCapita campaign from 6 pm outside Hendon Town Hall,11th December, The Burroughs, Hendon NW4 4BG.
  2. Please sign and share our #KickOutCapita petition here https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/kick-out-capita-from-barnet-council-now

Background

A Capita employee managed to steal over £2 million from Barnet Council because neither Capita nor Barnet Council had control of financial matters.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/ukengland-london-45641513l

Barnet Council felt obliged to commission Grant Thornton to identify how such a large scale fraud was possible. This project could cost up to half a million pounds of tax payers’ money.

 

The review found no proper budgetary controls, no checking of basic banking details, inexperienced managers responsible for large amounts of Council money, no written financial procedures and check-lists.

Barnet Council agreed to pay Capita £252.54 million, but has already paid Capita £352.41 million with FIVE more years to go!

Barnet Council is in financial crisis with a budget overspend of £10.3 million this financial year and a funding gap of £66.8 million over the next three years.

Front-line services such as street cleansing, waste and recycling, libraries and social care are all facing more and more cuts that are already affecting Barnet residents.

Capita is having difficulty with its own finances

Their Share Price has dropped from £13 a share to under £1.50 a share in the last two years.

On 11th December 2018, Barnet Council Policy and Resources Committee will decide on whether to end both contracts. We are campaigning that they VOTE to end both contracts and begin the urgent process of taking back control of those services.

Support:

Please join #KickOutCapita campaign from 6 pm outside Hendon Town Hall,11th December, The Burroughs, Hendon NW4 4BG.

Please sign and share our #KickOutCapita petition here https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/kick-out-capita-from-barnet-council-now

 

 

 

 

 

Another #Capita Pension failure………

Austerity, Local, News, Report, UNISON Campaign

Dear Barnet UNISON members

Once again our Pension Administration service has failed and had to be reported to the Pensions Regulator.

“The London Borough of Barnet Council has reported itself to the Pensions Regulator after failing to produce 447 pension benefit statements on time.”

http://www.pensions-expert.com/DB-Derisking/Barnet-in-TPR-breach-as-Capita-misses-payments

This is second year in a row that this has happened.

Barnet UNISON has never known things to be this bad.

The in-house service never had these problems.

Furthermore the article reports:

“The committee also said that outsourcer Capita, which carries out a variety of services for the council and is the pension scheme’s own administrator, has failed to make requisite deficit contributions for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 periods of more than £2m.”

For all of our members who TUPED to Capita Barnet UNISON has written to Mark Dally today seeking urgent conformation that the pension contributions will be paid immediately and that a communication to all staff is conforming that fact.

Barnet Council is currently carrying out a review of both Capita contracts.

There are three options

  1. Keep both contracts.
  2. Bring some Capita services back in-house.
  3. Bring all the services back in-house.

The obvious question from our members is how is it possible that senior officers working on the Capita contract review can seriously recommend that Pension Administration service stays with Capita.

Barnet UNISON view is Option 3

If you have any concerns about your Pension and would like a one to one meeting please contact the Barnet UNISON office on 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

IMPORTANT MEETING

Date: Tuesday 6 November 2018

Venue:  Committee Room Corridor, House of Commons Westminster, London SW1A 0AA.

Time: 7pm

Organised by Barnet Alliance for Public Services and Barnet UNISON

Chair: Aditya Chakrabortty Guardian columnist and senior economics commentator

Purpose of Inquiry

To hear evidence from residents, trade unions, politicians on what Capita has done in Barnet and elsewhere and end with a set of recommendations.

Details: https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2018/10/16/barnet-kickoutcapita-inquiry-6-november-2018/

 

 

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