Over £1 million back in the pockets of our lowest paid: School Support Staff

Barnet UNISON is proud to announce that over a five-year period of constant chasing and negotiations we have managed to reach agreements with schools and some employers e.g. Barnet & Southgate College, Capita, ISS, BELS to ensure that Term Time Paid staff received some backdating money they were owed by their employer not using the correct formula to calculate their pay.

Barnet UNISON wants to thank colleagues at London Region and UNISON HQ for supporting the campaign to claw back some of the money that was owed to our members.

The Term Time Pay claim started because of UNISON pursuing several local authorities over their failure to use the correct formula for calculating pay of term time staff in schools.

Barnet UNISON quickly wrote to over 50 schools in Barnet seeking meetings and the opportunity to talks to our members about the campaign. We also discovered some of the outsourced contractors were using an incorrect formula and we pursued those organisations to correct the error and to negotiate back pay.

 

“As soon as UNISON established that term time only staff (TTO) were being incorrectly paid due to a flawed formula being applied in calculating the amount of holiday pay entitlement members were receiving we commenced on going meetings with management to rectify the situation. After several years of negotiations, we resulted with a positive outcome and agreement that the College would apply a new and correct formula to calculate their holiday pay entitlement.  I was pleased to announce to my TTO UNISON members that a settlement had been finally agreed and that all the College’s term time staff would receive back pay to 1 September 2019 ( 3 years) which resulted in approximately £200,000 total back pay deal for TTO staff. I informed my members that this was not compensation, that it was backpay as they had been underpaid for the work that they had already done.  This is a good example of why it is important to join UNISON as it provides collective strength and means we can talk to the employer to negotiate and improve conditions in the workplace.” Christalla Tsattala Barnet UNISON rep of members of staff working for Barnet & Southgate College.

 

“It was a massive team effort across the UNISON family with support and advice from both regional and national colleagues. School support staff are some of the lowest paid members we have in our branch, and they are totally committed to their work and the children they support. It was important that our branch took on this campaign and we would recommend any other UNISON branch thinking of doing the same to go ahead. We are in a cost-of-living crisis which is hurting our low paid members every penny we have helped put back into their pockets makes all the work worthwhile.” John Burgess, Branch Secretary, Barnet UNISON.

 

Background:

Term Time Pay members meeting – February 2021

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2021/02/19/term-time-pay-members-meeting/

 

Update on the Barnet UNISON Term Time Pay Campaign – 2020

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2020/12/09/update-on-the-barnet-unison-term-time-pay-campaign/

 

Term Time Pay Drop-in meetings: February 2020

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2020/02/07/term-time-pay-drop-in-meetings/

End.

 

Barnet UNISON NSL members time to end the cycle of low pay!

The Impact of Low Pay on Workers

Low pay is a significant issue affecting our outsourced members. When wages do not meet basic living standards, our low paid members face numerous challenges that can have long-lasting effects on their well-being and quality of life. The call by Barnet UNISON for a campaign to increase the minimum wage to £15 per hour is not just a matter of financial fairness but a necessity to ensure dignity and stability for our members who deliver public services on behalf of Barnet Council.

Financial Strain

Many of our outsourced members are earning less than £15 per hour struggle to cover essential expenses like housing, food, healthcare, and transportation. This financial strain often leads to debt accumulation as individuals are forced to rely on credit to make ends meet. Over time, this cycle of debt can become crippling, limiting opportunities for economic growth and social mobility.

Health and Well-being

Living under constant financial pressure can have detrimental effects on mental and physical health. Stress from trying to manage limited resources can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Additionally, our outsourced members on low pay may not be able to afford healthcare, leading to untreated medical conditions and poorer overall health.

Limited Opportunities

Low wages often mean that outsourced members are unable to invest in education or skills development, which limits their career advancement opportunities. This lack of investment in personal growth can result in workers being trapped in low-paying jobs, perpetuating the cycle of poverty and limiting their potential to achieve a better quality of life.

Why our Barnet UNISON Pay Campaign is Essential

1. Economic Fairness

A campaign to raise the minimum wage to £15 per hour is a step toward economic fairness. It ensures that outsourced members receive compensation that reflects the true cost of living and acknowledges their contributions to the economy. Fair pay helps bridge the gap between different socioeconomic groups, fostering a more equitable society.

2. Boosting the Economy

Increasing wages can lead to a stronger economy. When our outsourced members have more disposable income, they tend to spend more on goods and services, stimulating demand and encouraging business growth. Additionally, higher wages can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction, which benefits both employees and employers.

3. Improving Quality of Life

By raising the minimum wage, we can significantly improve the quality of life for many of our outsourced members and their families. A higher income allows individuals to afford better housing, healthcare, education, and other necessities, contributing to overall well-being and a more stable society.

4. Conclusion

The push for a minimum wage of £15 per hour is more than a financial issue; it’s a campaign for dignity, fairness, and opportunity. By addressing the challenges faced by our outsourced low-paid members, we can create a more just and prosperous society where everyone has the chance to thrive.

If you want to be part of this campaign, first join UNISON by clicking on the link below

https://join.unison.org.uk/

Once you are a member come along to the Barnet UNISON NSL meeting on Thursday 16 January 2025 at 6.30 pm.

End.

“Three Chief Executives and one plumber”: The unfinished story

Week One of Barnet Council redundancy consultation has ended with six restructures across the Council with more to follow next week.

Barnet UNISON has published several articles where we believe there are savings to be made before any services are stopped or staff dismissed.

Please see the articles published to date below.

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/

 

No stone left unturned” Number 1: Update on Barnet Council Agency Spend.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/25/no-stone-left-unturned-number-1-update-of-barnet-council-agency-spend/

 

“No stone left unturned” Number 2: CEO The Barnet Group & Plumber with oncosts.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/25/no-stone-left-unturned-number-2-ceo-the-barnet-group-plumber-with-oncosts/

 

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

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/25/no-stone-left-unturned-number-3-does-it-make-sense-to-have-a-barnet-council-ceo-ceo-the-barnet-group/

 

“No stone left unturned” Number 4: What about the senior management review?

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/25/no-stone-left-unturned-number-4-what-about-the-senior-management-review/

 

 “No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 5: Part One

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/15/part-one-who-is-the-barnet-group/

 

“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 6: Part Two

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/15/9925/

 

 

“No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 7: Part Three

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/15/part-three-who-is-the-barnet-group/

 

“No stone left Unturned No 8: “Fixing the foundations or looking after corporate big businesses?”

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-no-8-fixing-the-foundations-or-looking-after-corporate-big-businesses/

 

 

No stone left unturned No 9: Bah Humbug “Withdrawal of Tea and Coffee.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-no-9-bah-humbug-withdrawal-of-tea-and-coffee/

 

“No stone left unturned” Number 10: Barnet Homes the elephant in the room.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-number-10-barnet-homes-the-elephant-in-the-room/

 

 “No stone left unturned” Number 11: We got to talk Capita

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-number-11-we-got-to-talk-capita/

 

“No stone left unturned” Number 12: Service Pressures

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-number-12-service-pressures/

 

“No stone left unturned” Number 13: Economies of scale.

https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/10/no-stone-left-unturned-number-13-economies-of-scale/

 

End.

Red Card: Street Scene workers underpaid again!

Thanks to the due diligence of our incredible UNISON Street Scene Convenor, over 200 manual workers are to receive payment next Friday because of another payroll error.

Quite frankly it is not good enough.

Our manual workers should not have to put up with this poor performance. This is not the first time our members have been underpaid.

Each time this happens it has a negative impact on morale of a workforce that is already stressed out due to the ongoing cost of living crisis and undermines trust and confidence in the payroll service.

Barnet UNISON is asking for the following:

  • A memo issued to the workforce apologising for the underpayment.
  • A commitment from HR and or Payroll that someone is available on pay day to answer questions/queries e.g. the memo could include that someone is available next Friday 20 December 2024.

End.

“No stone left unturned” Number 13: Economies of scale.

Day two of redundancy consultation across the Council workforce and still no responses from the employer to the UNISON proposals where the Council could and should be taking control of its spend.

This article is about economies of scale and how they could make savings which could prevent redundancies and service cuts.

Read on.

30 years ago, there was on Council with one Chief Executive and a smaller senior management team.

It was a larger Council because all the services that are currently outsourced such as Housing (Barnet Homes) Social Care (Your Choice Barnet) Parking Enforcement (NSL), School Catering (ISS), Cleaning (Norse) Education Services for Schools (BELS) Customer Services, Revs and Bens, Payroll, IT (Capita) used to be part of the Councils workforce.

12 years ago, Barnet Council under the Tories Administration created a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) which is 100% owned by Barnet Council.

They named it The Barnet Group (TBG).

The purpose of the company was to exploit workers by using their labour to provide essential services but deny those workers of the terms and conditions of a Council worker including the right to join the council Pension Scheme.

There are two companies within TBG. Barnet Homes and Your Choice Barnet.

In 2020, Barnet Council created another LATC for education services for schools called Barnet Education and Learning Skills (BELS) following the contract failure of a contractor who pulled out during Covid.

Both these LATCs are owned by Barnet Council.

The UNISON economies of scale proposal were for Barnet Council to conduct a review of back office services across all three organisations.

UNISON knows from some simple research published in our article “No stone left unturned” Number 10: Barnet Homes the elephant in the room. https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/12/04/no-stone-left-unturned-number-10-barnet-homes-the-elephant-in-the-room/ that savings were inevitable with the ending of the outsourced Housing Services. UNISON has continued to campaign for an end to the appalling employment practices of both organisations by bringing services in-house which is in line with UNISONs National Policy ‘Bringing Services Home’.

If the Council is determined to maintain the two organisations it at the very least should end the waste in terms of running three back offices and run only one.

Whilst the deliberate underfunding of Councils rests solely with Tory Governments there are still opportunities for Barnet Council to take responsibility for things they do control, and this is one of them.

Barnet UNISON is now representing members across the workforce who are at risk of redundancy. In redundancy consultations the employer must demonstrate they are making all efforts to control spend to avoid redundancy.

To date we have not heard anything back.

End.

 

“No stone left unturned” Number 12: Service Pressures

 

UNISON comment:

We have produced a graphic to show how service pressures appear to be driving the financial crisis.

What is surprising is the pace the figures are changing.

For Barnet UNISON members who are now aware about the Budget setting process, the Council must present and pass a lawful budget each year.

Once of the financial considerations when setting a lawful budget is to consider the risks such as service pressures on the budget. For example, Adult Social Care (Communities, Adults and Health) is always under pressure due to demand. UNISON understands financial information is provided to senior managers and they must make a decision as to what level of service pressures their budget is likely to have for following years.

In the case of Adult Social Care if you look at the first table at the top of the graphic which was agreed at the Council Budget Meeting on 1 March 2022, Adult Social Care was forecasting services pressures of £3.2 million in 2023/24 and £2.2 million in £2.22024/25 and another £2.2million for 25/26.

If you look at the second table showing a year later, which was agreed at the Council Budget Meeting on 28 February 2024, there are changes. Adults Social Care has changed their forecast from £2.2million to £22.3million. That is a massive increase. However, in the same table Adults Social Care forecast that service pressures for 2025/26 will only be £87,000.

Now look at table three. This table is going to Cabinet Committee on 5 December 2024. Adults Social Care has revised its service pressure from £87,000 to £23.7million for 2025/26.  

Below is a list of questions which UNISON has requested a response.

1.Is the right financial information being made available to inform decision makers?

1.1 When the financial information is being produced is the most up to date service demand properly understood and considered?

2. Do the decision makers understand the information being made available?

2.1 Do service managers promptly identify and prioritise action plan to mitigate service pressures?

3.How can the service pressures being agreed at Council Committee meetings be so wrong?

4.How can service pressures be relied on going forward to support a legal budget?

 

End. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“No stone left unturned” Number 11: We got to talk about Capita

What can we say about the Capita contract that we have not already said.

It should never have happened.

Below is the latest update graphic (courtesy of Barnet resident and Blogger Mr Reasonable) on how much Barnet Council has paid Capita over the last 14 years.

Whilst a great deal of the services have been brought back in-house they still have the following services

  1. Customer Services
  2. IT
  3. Revenues and Benefits
  4. Payroll

Barnet Council extended the contract with Capita for the above services which guarantees Capita around £20 million a year until the contract ends mid-2026.

Barnet Council has paid out over £254million more that the contract price.

We are in a difficult place in terms of the financial crisis and every penny counts.

Capita is running the Revenues service and that means their performance in relation to collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates can have a direct impact on the financial viability of Barnet Council.

It is disappointing to read that according to the recent Barnet Council Review of Capita report that Capita is underperforming and has been set an improvement plan.

This means the Council is not getting the income it should be collecting which means services and jobs are put at risk unnecessarily.

This has nothing to do with temporary accommodation or adult social care spend. This is something for which the Council has sole responsibility. Before this service was outsourced it was the highest performing service in London.

Now it is underperforming and according to Barnet Council a 1% increase in Council Tax would bring in an additional £2.3m for the Council.

For Business Rates Collections, every 1% improvement in collection is worth £324k per annum to the council.

UNISON Comment:

The improvement plan is meaningless and does not address the crisis facing services and staff. Barnet Council must enforce the contract and reduce the contract payments to try and mitigate the need for redundancies and cuts to services.

End.

“No stone left unturned” Number 10: Barnet Homes the elephant in the room.

Barnet Council published its Cabinet Committee 5 December 2024 report here:

https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s87121/Business%20Planning%20and%20Medium%20Term%20Financial%20Strategy%202025-2030.pdf

The report paints a stark picture for Council funding.

Barnet Council, in response to the serious overspend for 2025/26, has published a savings plan which is outlined in Appendix B here https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s87123/Appendix%20B%20Breakdown%20of%20savings%20and%20income%20generation%20proposals%20v2.pdf

Whilst the Government repeats the tired old phrase of needing to fix the foundations, they have ignored the fact that councils have been seriously underfunded over the past 14 years and they are teetering on the point of bankruptcy. They need upfront funding (not a loan) now whilst a new funding formula is agreed which will allow councils to plan and keep our communities safe.

This financial crisis means Barnet Council needs to take a serious look at how it is organised. It must decide whether to keep the organisation it inherited from the Tories or to rebuild it.

This means addressing the “elephant in the room”, Barnet Homes.

Currently Housing services are delivered by Barnet Homes which is part of The Barnet Group (TBG).

Click on the three links below if you want to know more about the history of Barnet Homes and The Barnet Group

  1. “No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 5: Part One https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/15/part-one-who-is-the-barnet-group/
  2. “No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 6: Part Two https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/15/9925/

3 “No stone left unturned” What is The Barnet Group (TBG)? Number 7: Part Three https://www.barnetunison.me.uk/wp/2024/11/15/part-three-who-is-the-barnet-group/

Barnet Homes is one of the few Housing Services that is still outsourced. Across London in both Labour and Tory Councils, senior officers and politicians have all come to the same conclusion that Housing must and should return in-house.

Earlier this year a senior officer report to Cabinet Committee recommended that Barnet Homes continues to be outsourced. Barnet UNISON submitted our report calling for Housing Services to be brought back in-house.

Considering the serious financial crisis facing Barnet Council and the knowledge that Barnet UNISON members are now facing redundancy and services are at risk, UNISON has reviewed what other Councils had to say about the outsourcing of Housing services.

  1. Haringey Council Cabinet meeting 7 December 2021

Title: Decision on the Council’s proposal to bring Homes for Haringey (HfH) in-house https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/documents/s128415/Cabinet%20December%202021%20HfH%20insourcing.pdf

“Value for Money

4.3.1 The rationales for bringing HfH back in-house to deliver VFM [Value For Money] are based on the

following:

  1. Efficiency savings are anticipated by eliminating areas of duplication and bringing together Council and HfH back-office services;
  2. Corporate services supporting the HfH Board and subgroups will no longer be needed;
  3. Client-side monitoring resources in the Council can be repurposed;
  4. Some HfH functions will be integrated with Council functions to deliver added value;
  5. Any efficiency savings to the HRA can be reinvested in resident services or add value by funding capital investment in estate improvements and new homes.”

 

  1. Lewisham Council approved at a Cabinet Meeting in Dec 2022.

https://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?AIId=32800

Appendix 3: Cost Benefit Analysis

“Immediate annual savings of £300k would be made through the changes to governance structures and no longer servicing Lewisham Homes’ boards, as well as removing the need to client Lewisham Homes.”

“There will be one-off costs to the transfer of services relating to project management, professional services (IT, Finance, HR and Legal) and any one-off rebranding costs.”

“The transfer of corporate and shared services offer additional opportunities for savings to be made through the removal of duplication and restructuring; the level of these savings cannot be calculated at this stage and are dependent on decisions made by individual services.”

Source: https://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/documents/s103862/06%20Appendix%203%20Cost-benefit%20Analysis%20171122.pdf

 

  1. Brent Council

“54. It is the In-House option that, by a wide margin, best interacts with the requirement to make significant savings. The Council has a track record of successfully delivering large budget reductions whilst carefully managing the impact on services and residents over recent years. These experiences will be directly relevant to, and can be directly applied to, an in-house option. In contrast BHP will find it harder to achieve the savings potentially required due to being ‘arms length’ with the associated costs this structure carries. The Joint Venture will take time and money to implement and in any case becomes difficult, if not impossible, to engineer as the cost reduction requirement increases.

  1. The financials are the most important factor in reaching the recommendation.
  2. Control is another important factor. The In-House option gives the highest level of strategic and operational control. The Reformed ALMO and Joint Venture options offer good levels of strategic control (though the ability to change course operates more slowly) and lower levels of operational control.
  3. In conclusion, taking into account the challenging financial landscape, and all other factors outlined above, it is recommended that the In-House option is chosen. Moreover, the InHouse option offers the opportunity to re-position the housing service within the Council with the aim of improving a broad range of outcomes for almost 12,000 households. This is not the lift and shift of a self-contained housing service into the Council’s structure. This is the engagement of the housing service with the Council’s wider agendas in order to secure improved outcomes for residents and to enable the Council’s expertise in cost reduction to be brought to bear. However there are two areas for particular consideration within the planning for the In-House option and these are identification and mitigation of the key risks arising from the new position of the housing service within the Council’s wider business and providing effective arrangements for resident and Member oversight and scrutiny.

Source: https://democracy.brent.gov.uk/documents/s46023/Review%20of%20Housing%20Management%20Options%20Full.pdf

  1. Enfield Council

“The reintegration of Enfield Homes offers opportunities to streamline functions across the Council and Enfield Homes, which will enable more efficient working so resources can be effectively prioritised to improve the services delivered to local residents.

The reintegration of Enfield Homes offers the potential for efficiency savings of up to £540K through the deletion of the Enfield Homes Chief Executive post and the governance function, accountancy services, HR savings and from a review of the senior management structure including the appointment of Joint Chief Operating Officer and Joint Head of Housing Finance.

There is the opportunity to improve the performance of the housing management and maintenance services by building on synergies that exist between the services provided by Enfield Homes and those by the Council.”

Source: https://governance.enfield.gov.uk/documents/s45967/ALMO%20Reintegration%20Cabinet%20report%20Final%2023-07-14%203.pdf

 

  1. Harrow Council

“Keith Burchell, cabinet member for housing at Harrow, said keeping housing within the authority would save it £3.6m over 30 years since the running costs of the ALMO were expected to exceed £15m over this period. ”

https://www.building.co.uk/harrow-council-to-drop-almo-plans-in-pursuit-of-better-financial-deal-/3042326.article#:~:text=Harrow%20council%20is%20to%20become%20the%20first,it%20could%20get%20better%20value%20for%20money

 

  1. Tower Hamlets

“Reasons for the decision

The current Management Agreement between Tower Hamlets Homes (THH) and the Council ends on 31 March 2024 (with a possible extension of a further four years). The Council must take a decision on whether to extend the Management Agreement no later than six months prior to this date.

Having reviewed the options for the future of housing management services, the Council has assessed that bringing services back in-house will:

  • provide an opportunity to join up services.
  • increase accountability to residents and the Regulator for Social Housing (RSH).
  • enable the Council to take a strategic approach to delivering good quality and new homes.

Given that no more additional Decent Homes funding is available, the Council did not find a significant reason to justify sustaining an Arms-Length Management Organisation (ALMO) model.

Between 24 October and 18 December 2022, the Council consulted residents on the future of housing management services. A mixed methods approach was used to collect views on if the Management Agreement with THH should be extended or if services should be brought back in-house under direct control of the Council. 86.21% of tenants and leaseholders agreed with the Council’s proposals to bring services back in-house.”

Source: https://democracy.towerhamlets.gov.uk/documents/g13217/Decisions%2022nd-Feb-2023%2017.30%20Cabinet.pdf?T=2

 

  1. Ealing Council

“Cllr Bell said he hoped the local authority might be able to bring the ALMO back in-house before its contract runs out in March 2011.

He added: ‘We need to look at the books closely, but we believe that we can make around £5 million worth of savings by running the service ourselves. The tenants and leaseholders who were at the meeting were very, very pleased that we won the vote.’”

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/ealing-to-take-housing-management-in-house-19754

“This Council resolves that with immediate effect it withdraws its support for

privatising the Management Contract of Ealing Homes. It instructs officers to

draw up proposals immediately to return Ealing Homes to direct management by

the Council in such a way as to ensure that:

  1. a) tenants and leaseholders have a genuine say in how the stock is managed

and the Council proactively encourages the setting up of tenants’

management organisations;

  1. b) costs are tightly controlled; and
  2. c) management of the housing stock will in future be closely scrutinised in

public so that problems such as poor repairs, expensive and slow Decent

Homes works and lack of adequate communication with tenants and leaseholders can be resolved and future problems avoided.”

https://ealing.moderngov.co.uk/Data/Council/20100518/Agenda/Minutes%20-%2018.05.10.pdf

  1. Havering Council

https://democracy.havering.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=2095

Reasons for the decision:

  • The Council no longer needed to have an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) in order to access funding from the Decent Homes Programme
  • Tenants and leaseholders had expressed their views clearly, that they would prefer their homes to be managed by the Council rather than retain the existing ALMO structure
  • The integration of the housing management service with the remaining housing services would provide a more transparent and accountable structure for the housing service
  • The removal of duplication in the management and governance arrangements for the service would save at least £300,000.

 

  1. Westminster Council

https://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/News-archive/westminster-city-council-to-bring-almo-housing-scheme-back-in-house-after-performance-concerns

“Pursuing option 2, bringing the service back in-house, would be in the best interests of tenants and leaseholders and in line with feedback from tenants and residents’ groups. This should be combined with consultation and engagement with tenants and leaseholders on the future provision of housing management services and how these services can improve, in order to re-establish residents at the heart of service delivery.”

 

  1. Hammersmith and Fulham Council

https://democracy.lbhf.gov.uk/documents/g1546/Public%20reports%20pack%2010th-Jan-2011%2019.00%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10

4.4 Financial advantages from the creation of single direct management

Housing & Regeneration Department 4.4.1 There will be some significant immediate savings that will flow from the integration of the ALMO into the Council. These will result from the deletion of vacant posts, which would otherwise be duplicated in the new structure, and the elimination of agency workers and contractors to whom TUPE does not apply.

4.4.2 The present organisational structures were created to facilitate the formation of the ALMO and not because they represented the most efficient or cost effective managerial teams. As a result there are some significant areas of overlapping responsibility and accountability which give rise to higher costs

than is necessary.

4.4.3 By bringing the two separate structures together, it will be possible to significantly streamline the current Assistant Director structures under one Director of Housing & Regeneration. Recruitment of the Director of Housing and Regeneration is currently under way.

4.4.4 In addition, It is recommended that the Housing Management Division in the ALMO is linked to the Housing Options Division to create a new Housing Services team. LBHF is currently in the process of recruiting an Assistant Director of Housing Services to develop and lead the integration programme for the Housing Options and ALMO Housing Services teams. Appendix C provides a summary of the proposed Structure of the integration Housing and Regeneration Department.”

 

UNISON comment.

What is clear from reading the reports of other senior council officers is that there are clear organisational and financial benefits to bringing Housing services back inhouse.

The financial crisis facing the Council means that they can no longer continue to allow the expense of running a shadow council with its own bureaucracy and senior management structures. If it is good enough for all the other London Councils, then why is it not good enough for Barnet Council?

UNISON is asking for the Housing Services to be brought back inhouse.

**Please note: This article will be periodically updated as we discover more evidence of Councils bringing back housing services in-house.

End.

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