For the past 18 months Barnet Council has prepared plans for the future of School Meals and Education & Skills.

From the outset the fate of approx 430 workers was always going to be outsourcing. However as per previous practice the outsourcing pantomime was played out in a number of committee reports to the Children’s, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee (CELS).

Barnet UNISON responded at each stage.

1. In September 2014 we produced “Commercialising Education and Skills Future Delivery of Services to Schools London Borough of Barnet” click here

2. In January 2015 we produced “Education & Skills and Catering Analysis of Options Appraisal” click here

3. In June 2015 we produced “Education & Skills and Catering, Threat of large-scale subcontracting”click here

4. Later in June 2015 when we heard Capita had pulled out of contract talks we produced “Education & Skills and Catering UPDATE 30 June 2015” click here

5. Finally in November 2015 we produced Catering Services “Jewel in the Crown”, Privatisation of Education & Skills and Catering in Barnet click here

There is a significant lack of transparency over the award of this contract exacerbated by the lack of financial details made publicly available and the fact there was only one bidder as the two other bidders had withdrawn from the bidding process. Furthermore the Council is handing over the Schools Meals Service to a private contractor without any competition. Under this arrangement the Council will now have to share the profit with the contractors at a time when they are proposing cuts to frontline services.

UNISON in our final report have made the following recommendations

1. The Council should retain the Catering Service in-house and place it within Family Services Delivery Unit in order that all the profits can support frontline services, which are threatened by budget cuts. It should draw up a Public Service Innovation and Improvement Plan for the future of the Catering Service jointly with schools and staff.

 

2. Elected members should require a detailed breakdown of the £1.5m cost of the Education and Skills outsourcing, in particular the £250,000 expenditure on ‘commercial advisers’ cited in the Full Business Case (p35).

The council’s proposal “Barnet future library service” is a plan to replace qualified, experienced staff who have a wide range of skills and knowledge with volunteers and machines, and to reduce the size and quality of libraries. The people of Barnet, including our members, did not march, lobby, sign petitions and respond to the consultation in support of volunteer and machine operated libraries. They were defending a service staffed by real library staff, libraries with enough space for people to study, use IT facilities and to house sufficient items for loan to meet the needs of their users. If the proposal is adopted then Barnet libraries will no longer offer a service that meets the needs of the people of the borough and this will lead into a decline in use and a rationale for further cuts and closure.

● If the proposal is adopted 46% of library posts will be cut

● Staffed hours at libraries will be reduced by 70.4%

● 90% of the planned technology supported opening hours will have no staffing or volunteer support

● Four partnership libraries will be run by volunteers and open only for a minimum of 15 hours per week

● Libraries will be reduced in size, and only four will retain enough space to host events such as story times and authors’ talk

This proposal will not only lead to a decline in the quality and range of the Library Service but will be unjustifiably expensive to implement, costing £7.56m. This is 4.4 times as much as the cuts to be made in in the library service annual operational budget. Barnet UNISON also have concerns regarding the safety of unstaffed ibraries, particularly on how libraries will be evacuated in the event of an emergency, and how anti-social behaviour will be deal with. These issues remain to be sufficiently address by the council.

Barnet UNISON calls on the council to

· Withdraw the proposal

· Retain direct provision of the Library Service

Changes to the Library Service should only be made after the council:

1. Undertake a rigorous and comprehensive equality impact assessment of the potential effect of the technology-enabled opening hours

2. Include the impact on staff in any equality analysis.

3. Run a consultation process that prioritises the views of service users and groups and organisations that are potential users of library services and facilities.

 

Hugh Jordan, Branch Health and Safety Officer/Libraries Convenor, Barnet UNISON

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: UNISON Library response to 70% cut in staffed hours by Barnet Council.

On Friday 2 October 2015, Barnet Council published their devastating report on the future of the library service which revealed:

· 46% of workforce to be sacked

· Council are now proposing to cut the 634.5 staffed library hours a week to 188.

· Four out of 14 Libraries will be run completely by volunteers

Our report found

“The cost of the three phases of the Library Review is expected to be about £3.15m, plus £4.41m to reduce the size of libraries and install technology enabled opening systems, a total cost of £7.56m. This is 4.4 times the projected annual savings in the library service operational budget.”

“The scale of the cut in the Library budget is unprecedented and could result in permanent damage to the service, drastically reduce resident’s use of the service and demotivate staff. The planned savings fall short of the target, so further cuts may be made in the Library budget.”

Barnet UNISON report makes the following recommendation:

1. The Council should commit to retaining direct provision of the Library Service, eliminate the need for Phase 3 and save the £500,000 costs.

2. Undertake a more rigorous and comprehensive equality impact assessment of the potential effect of the technology-enabled opening hours, drawing on the socioeconomic profile of users in the Edgware pilot.

3. The equality impact of the proposals on staff must be included in the Equality Analysis.

4. The proposed additional risks should be included in the risk register.

5. The consultation process should prioritise the views of service users and groups and organisations that are potential users of library services and facilities.

Professor Dexter Whitfield said: “Instead of trying to recruit a contractor, the Council should commit to continued provision by Library staff and use the £500,000 savings to increase staffed hours”

Hugh Jordan Barnet UNISON Library Convenor said: “The Council’s proposal “Barnet future Library Service” is a plan to replace qualified, experienced staff who have a wide range of skills and knowledge with volunteer and machines, and to reduce the size and quality of Libraries. The people of Barnet, including our members, did not march, lobby, sign petitions and respond to the consultation in support of volunteer and machine operated libraries, they were defending a service staffed by real library workers, libraries with enough space for people to study and use IT, and to house sufficient items for loan to meet the needs of their users. UNISON members working in Barnet Libraries oppose the Council’s dire future vision of our Service.”

UNISON Branch Secretary John Burgess said:

“It is a little early for Halloween, but this Library proposal is more trick than treat. The trick is pretending to save our Libraries, the cut in staff and subsequent staff opening hours is tantamount to wholesale closure of all of our Libraries. This proposal will leave all the libraries to ‘wither on the vine’. I can predict a future Library meeting recommending closure of the Libraries with the justification being that no one is using the Libraries. Our members will be joining the Save Barnet Libraries campaign at the Library Committee meeting on 12 October.”

Save Barnet Libraries campaign are holding a rally outside Hendon Town Hall on Monday 12 October at 6 pm.

End.

Notes to Editors.

Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or 0208 359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

Background:

1. Barnet UNISON response to proposal to sack 46% of Library workforce. –http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Barnet%20Library%20Review%202%20UNISON.pdf

2. Save Barnet Libraries rally details here http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/12%20Oct%20CELS%20Lobby%20Flyer_0.pdf

3. The Future of Barnet Libraries – http://www.european-services-strategy.org.uk/publications/public-bodies/transformation-and-public-service-reform/options-appraisals/the-future-of-barnet-libraries/future-of-barnet-libraries.pdf

4. Why we are striking from a Library worker http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1576

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: UNISON confirm 24 hour strike 7 October – over 46 % of Library workers to be sacked

Barnet UNISON members who still work for Barnet Council (excluding community schools) will begin a 24 hour strike action on Wednesday 7 October.

The dispute involves social workers, coach escorts, drivers, occupational therapists, schools catering staff, education welfare officers, library workers, children centre workers, street cleaning & refuse workers, all of whom have made it clear they want to remain employees of Barnet Council and don’t want to be outsourced.

On Friday 2 October 2015, Barnet Council published their devastating report on the future of the library service which is reveals:

· 46% of workforce to be sacked

· Redundancy payments will cost £1.5 million

· Council are now proposing to cut the 634.5 staffed library hours a week to 188.

· Four Libraries, Childs Hill, East Barnet , Mill Hill, and South Friern will be run by volunteers

· Phase one of planning for and changing the library service has been estimated at £399,300

· Phase Two will cost £750, 000

· It is estimated that “reconfiguring libraries to release space” will cost £2 million.

· The cost in introducing technology that allows unstaffed opening will cost £2.41 million,

· This means that at least £6,560,3000 will be spent implementing changes to the Library Service  with the rationale of saving £2.850,000

· East Finchley Library reduced in size by 55% with staffed hour reduced from 40 hours to 16 hours.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said: “I have been a long term supporter of John Burgess & Barnet UNISON and the community campaign that has shown remarkable fighting spirit in the face of a relentless attack from the hard right in control of Barnet Council. Under Jeremy, people can see that there is a real alternative to austerity which is why I am fully behind Barnet UNISON members taking strike action on 7 October. If possible I hope to join you on the picket line.”

Hugh Jordan Library Convenor said: “The Council’s proposal “Barnet future Library Service” is a plan to replace qualified, experienced staff with a wide range of skills and knowledge with volunteer and machines, and to reduce the size and quality of Libraries. The people of Barnet, including our members, did not march, lobby, sign petitions and respond to the consultation in support of volunteer and machine operated libraries, they were defending a service staffed by real library staff, libraries with enough space for people to study and use IT, and to house sufficient items for loan to meet the needs of their users. UNISON members working in Barnet Libraries oppose the Council’s dire future vision of our Service.”

UNISON Branch Secretary John Burgess said:

“Barnet Council workers are in the frontline of austerity politics which is driving the outsourcing agenda and a ‘race to the bottom’ for our member’s terms and conditions. I am dismayed that so many loyal hard working Library workers are to be sacked in the name of progress. In a few weeks’ time 335 catering workers are expecting to hear news that they are likely to be handed over to private contractor ISS, without any guarantee they will continue to be paid the London Living Wage (LLW). Lidl & Morrisons have announced they will pay the LLW, yet Barnet Council are refusing to include the LLW in the contract. Once again it is low paid women paying the price of austerity. Our members will be on strike on 7 October and joining the Save Barnet Libraries campaign at the Library Committee meeting on 12 October.”

Our picket lines will be at the following locations.

· Barnet House from 7 am.

· Mill Hill Depot—Starts 6 am onwards.

· East Finchley Library—Start 9 am onwards.

Rally 12.30 – St Johns Church Hall, Friern Barnet Lane, Speakers to be confirmed

End.

Notes to Editors.

Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or 0208 359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

Background:

Six years ago Barnet Council introduced a policy known as Future Shape which morphed into ‘easyCouncil’*.This imposed a series of tariffs on residents wishing to access a range of services. A basic service would be offered to residents at a fixed price, but ‘fast track’ services might be available if you paid extra.

This approach was quickly abandoned by the consultant driven One Barnet Programme, which led to the following Council Services being outsourced/privatised in the space of three years:

1. Social Care for Adults with disabilities to Your Choice Barnet

2. Housing Options to Barnet Homes

3. Parking Services to NSL

4. Revenues & Benefits, IT, HR & Payroll, Pensions, Health & Safety, Finance, Estates, Property Services, Procurement, Projects all now part of Capita CSG

5. Environmental Health, Planning, Building Control, Hendon Cemetery & Crematorium, Highways, Trading Standards & Licensing all now Capita RE

6. Legal Services

7. Registrars & Nationality Services

8. CCTV

9. Music Trust

10. Public Health

11. Mortuary Services.

Over the past three years our members have seen hundreds of colleagues transferred to other employers. This has often meant redundancy as the new employer moved jobs out of the borough and Greater London to places as far afield as Belfast, Carlisle, Coventry, Southampton and Darlington.

Barnet has branded this final phase as the ‘Commissioning Council’.

On 3 March 2015 Barnet Council agreed its next Five Commissioning Plans all of which are looking at ‘Alternative Delivery Models’, jargon for working for a different employer.

The Council Services now at risk of outsourcing are:

· Early Years – 13 Children’s Centres

· Library Services

· Adults & Communities services

· Street Scene Services e.g. Waste & Recycling, Street Cleansing, Parks and Transport

· Education & Skills and School Meals services.

Barnet Council is about to agree a number of outsourcing and cuts across a number of council committees over the next four months which would see the number of staff employed by the council reduced to less than 300.

The outsourcing of services is Barnet Council’s response to austerity policies which have resulted in council budgets being cut by 40% by 2020. It is a deliberate ideological attack on public services which punishes our members and limits access to public services for the most vulnerable in our society. Barnet Council announced a few weeks ago that Meals on Wheels will cease as from 1 April 2016, which is another sign of how pernicious austerity fundamentalist policies are to those in most need http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34310729

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Barnet UNISON propose 24 hour strike on 7 October

Barnet UNISON members who still work for Barnet Council (excluding community schools) will begin a 24 hour strike action on Wednesday 7 October

The dispute involves social workers, coach escorts, drivers, occupational therapists, schools catering staff, education welfare officers, library workers, children centre workers, street cleaning & refuse workers, all of whom have made it clear they want to remain employees of Barnet Council and don’t want to be outsourced.

Barnet Council is about to agree a number of outsourcing and cuts across a number of council committees over the next four months which would see the number of staff employed by the council reduced to less than 300.

The outsourcing of services is Barnet Council’s response to austerity policies which have resulted in council budgets being cut by 40% by 2020. It is a deliberate ideological attack on public services which punishes our members and limits access to public services for the most vulnerable in our society. Barnet Council announced a few weeks ago that Meals on Wheels will cease as from 1 April 2016, which is another sign of how pernicious austerity fundamentalist policies are to those in most need http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34310729

On 2 October the Council will publish a report on the future of the library service which is seeking to reduce the staff budget by 68%. This will, in effect, destroy our wonderful public library services.

At our recent Kids4Libraries march Jeremy Corbyn, now Leader of Labour Party said: ‘First I want to add my apologies to the event and the huge admiration for Barnet UNISON. I want to send a message of support to John Burgess & the Save Barnet Libraries campaign for their tireless & inspirational community campaign to protect their local Library service. I would encourage everyone to join their Kids4Libraries this Saturday 12 September. Barnet Council are determined to outsource all of their services I salute Barnet UNISON & the community campaign for their ongoing fight to defend public services.’

Picket Lines will be:

· Barnet House from 7 am.

· Mill Hill Depot—Starts 6 am onwards.

· East Finchley Library—Start 9 am onwards.

A rally will be held outside Barnet House at 12 noon

UNISON Branch Secretary John Burgess said: “Our members want to work for the Council, they want to be directly accountable to the residents of Barnet. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which will have to place the shareholders’ legal demands before local residents’ needs. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which uses zero hours contracts. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which will not pay the London Living Wage as a basic minimum. Our members don’t want to work for an employer which won’t allow their colleagues to belong to their Pension Scheme, and our members don’t want to work for an employer which will take jobs out of the borough. That’s why 87% of our members working for the Council voted ‘Yes’ to taking strike action. So far the Council has failed to come close to agreeing to any one of these demands. One of our members has written and produced a music campaign video called “UNISON Army” which pretty much sums up the mood of our members take a look https://youtu.be/9AcYT2YTFLE ”

End.

Notes to Editors.

Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or 0208 359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

Background:

Six years ago Barnet Council introduced a policy known as Future Shape which morphed into ‘easyCouncil’*.This imposed a series of tariffs on residents wishing to access a range of services. A basic service would be offered to residents at a fixed price, but ‘fast track’ services might be available if you paid extra.

This approach was quickly abandoned by the consultant driven One Barnet Programme, which led to the following Council Services being outsourced/privatised in the space of three years:

1. Social Care for Adults with disabilities to Your Choice Barnet

2. Housing Options to Barnet Homes

3. Parking Services to NSL

4. Revenues & Benefits, IT, HR & Payroll, Pensions, Health & Safety, Finance, Estates, Property Services, Procurement, Projects all now part of Capita CSG

5. Environmental Health, Planning, Building Control, Hendon Cemetery & Crematorium, Highways, Trading Standards & Licensing all now Capita RE

6. Legal Services

7. Registrars & Nationality Services

8. CCTV

9. Music Trust

10. Public Health

11. Mortuary Services.

Over the past three years our members have seen hundreds of colleagues transferred to other employers. This has often meant redundancy as the new employer moved jobs out of the borough and Greater London to places as far afield as Belfast, Carlisle, Coventry, Southampton and Darlington.

Barnet has branded this final phase as the ‘Commissioning Council’.

On 3 March 2015 Barnet Council agreed its next Five Commissioning Plans all of which are looking at ‘Alternative Delivery Models’, jargon for working for a different employer.

The Council Services now at risk of outsourcing are:

· Early Years – 13 Children’s Centres

· Library Services

· Adults & Communities services

· Street Scene Services e.g. Waste & Recycling, Street Cleansing, Parks and Transport

· Education & Skills and School Meals services.

2. Disappearing Council – short animation https://youtu.be/YQ5t63fSu-s

3. “The easyCouncil Loco-motion” https://youtu.be/Wi0bdgofsmM

 

“We leave no members behind”

This is a commitment I am finding myself increasingly saying in meetings with members who work for a number of different employers. Whether it is our council housing repairs workers who work for Mears or members working for Capita, NSL, Barnet Council, Barnet Homes, Your Choice Barnet, Barnet College, we are all facing attacks both in the workplace but at home and in our communities as a direct result of austerity.

Austerity is responsible for our terms and conditions being attacked and that there have been no pay awards to address the increasing cost of living.

Austerity has made housing a major issue not just for our members in terms of cost but for our children who cannot afford to leave home.

What is clear, is that we cannot fight for each struggle alone, we need to support each other.

This Saturday 12 September we have organised Kids4Libraries march. The main march begins outside Church End Library and it is going to be big and it is going to be fun.

• “In the Thick of it” actor Rebecca Front and children’s author Alan Gibbons will be on the march.
• Durham Miners are coming to join the march
• Lesbian and Gay Support the Miners are bringing their banner to the march.
• London Metropolitan Band are leading the march.
• Open Top Red Bus decorated and available for those who are unable to march.
• Trade Union branches and community campaigns will be there.

However, more importantly it is about all Barnet UNISON members pulling together and in this case in support and solidarity for Library workers.

One of the proposals is to reduce staff by 65%!

I do not think it is right that we leave Library workers behind to fight this alone.

This is why our branch is calling on all of our members to spare a few hours this Saturday to come down and show solidarity for our fellow UNISON members.

Venue: Church End Library (5 minutes from Finchley Central Tube station).

Time: Assemble from 11 am.

See you there

John Burgess

Branch Secretary

 

Barnet UNISON

Our members who still work for Barnet Council now face a critical moment as five outsourcing projects are due to make decision in the next five months.

The UNISON family has showed us tremendous solidarity through messages of support and donations.

We began our second phase of our campaign by launching news of our Kids4Libraries march on Saturday 12 September.

We have issued a social media campaign called Thunderclap on Twitter and Face Book and asked supporters to join by clicking on this link and signing up to support.

http://t.co/KFsIocB6mF

Here is a list of UNISON branches who have sent donations to our branch.

South Tyneside UNISON

Portsmouth UNISON

Mid Yorkshire Health UNISON

Southend UNISON

Bolton UNISON

Kingston & Chelsea UNISON

Doncaster, District & B Health UNISON

Royal Devon UNISON

Rochdale UNISON

Stoke-on-Trent UNISON

Mendip UNISON

West Midlands Fire UNISON

Burnley UNISON

Hert Community Healthcare UNISON

Tower Hamlets UNISON

Tunbridge Wells Borough UNISON

City of Edinburgh UNISON

Thurrock UNISON

Barking, Havering & Redbridge Health UNISON

Barking & Dagenham UNISON

North Yorkshire UNISON

Carmarthenshire County UNISON

Hillingdon UNISON

Norfolk County UNISON

North Somerset UNISON

Somerset County UNISON

Calderdale UNISON

Lothian Health UNISON

New Forest DC UNISON

Manchester UNISON

Wirral Health UNISON

Wiltshire UNISON

Charnwood Borough UNISON

Sandwell UNISON

Bath Health Care UNISON

Newcastle City UNISON

Stockport Metropolitan UNISON

Western Isles LG UNISON

East Lancashire Health UNISON

Scottish Healthcare UNISON

Hackney UNISON

West Sussex UNISON

Essex County UNISON

Barnsley UNISON

Tameside UNISON

Milton Keynes UNISON

Ashford Borough LG UNISON

Salford City UNISON (£50) & collection (£50)

Camden UNISON

Dudley Hospital Group UNISON

Falkirk UNISON

Swindon UNISON

North Tyneside UNISON

Leeds LG UNISON

Redcar & Cleveland UNISON

Pembrokeshire UNISON

Aberdeen UNISON

Southampton District UNISON

Kirklees UNISON

Cardiff & Vale UNISON

Durham County UNISON

Mid Yorkshire Health UNISON

Bournemouth & Christchurch UNISON

Kensington & Chelsea UNISON

Gateshead LG UNISON

Wolverhampton UNISON

Orchard Health UNISON

Southwark UNISON

Hemerton UNISON

South Lanarkshire UNISON

Woking UNISON

Rotherham UNISON

York City UNISON

Croydon UNISON

Bolton Salford Trafford Mental Health UNISON

Southend UNISON

Hull City UNISON

Central Bristol Health UNISON

Knowsley UNISON

Portsmouth Trades Council

Cardiff County LG UNISON

Liverpool City UNISON

Sheffield Metropolitan UNISON

Cambridge City UNISON

Dundee City UNISON

Lothian Health UNISON

Leeds LG UNISON

South Manchester Hospital UNISON

Surrey County UNISON

Dorset Health UNISON

Hounslow UNISON

UCL Hospital UNISON

FBU London Region

East Renfrewshire UNISON

St Helens & Knowsley Health UNISON

Southwest UNISON

Environment Agency UNISON

Winchester City UNISON

Northwick Park & St Marks UNISON

Greenpark Health UNISON

Hull & Lincoln Universities UNISON

Fenland District LG UNISON

Bolton Metro UNISON

Warwick District UNISON

South Somerset LG UNISON

Whittington Hospital Health UNISON

Dorset UNISON

Camden UNISON

Hastings & Eastbourne UNISON

United Utilities UNISON

Cumbria County UNISON

Sefton Health UNISON

Oxfordshire County UNISON

Isle of Wight LG UNISON

Fareham Borough UNISON

Environment Agency Thames UNISON

GLA UNISON

UWE UNISON

Ealing UNISON

Hillingdon UNISON

Cambridgeshire County UNISON

 

If you want to donate to ur campaign please email our branch at contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

 

The simple and straight forward answer to the above question is that Council services are being punished for the global financial crisis caused by the bankers.

On 8 July the Chancellor George Osborne published his budget which set out a vicious attack on public services and the staff who provide them. There is widespread consensus that by 2020 Councils will have had their budgets cut by 40%.

Think about that figure. No private company could survive such a cut in funding. Barnet Councils response to the austerity agenda is the ‘commissioning council’ which seeks to move staff out of the council into different employment models. Whilst expensive consultants will spin the commissioning model as a new way of working, the bottom line is that they are looking to find someone who will employ staff on cheaper terms and conditions and without access to the Council Pension Scheme.

What do we know?

I know from talking to our reps and speaking to members that everyone is exhausted, angry about the relentless attacks on staff almost on a weekly basis. Feedback we are getting from members is that more and more staff are leaving the Council, which is destabilising teams and adding to the already heavy workloads.

UNISON has raised this as a concern and linked it directly to the mass outsourcing agenda, which is not only having a negative impact on current staff but is a barrier for in house services trying to recruit new staff.

It is clear from our own direct experiences of outsourced contracts that the contractors offer inferior terms and conditions; and they are not offering new staff the opportunity to be part of the Council pension scheme.

So when the Council talks about risk, it is the staff that are taking on all of the risk.

We will be speaking with our local reps and members about our responses to the following major outsourcing decisions (see below).

1. The future of the Library Services will be decided on Monday 21 September Children’s, Education, Libraries & Safeguarding Committee.

2. The future of the Education & Skills and School Meals will be decided on Wednesday 18 November at the Children’s, Education, Libraries & Safeguarding Committee.

3. The future of our Children’s Centres will be decided on Wednesday 18 November 2015 Children’s, Education, Libraries & Safeguarding Committee.

4. The future of Adults and Communities will be decided on Thursday 12 November Adults and Safeguarding Committee.

5. The future of Street Scene Services will be decided on Monday 11 January 2016 at the Environment Committee.

Barnet UNISON branch meetings

9 September 12 noon in Oak Room, Building 4, NLBP

As a direct result of Osborne’s 8 July budget our branch and our members are facing a massive attack both in the workplace and within the public services they are trying to provide to Barnet residents.

Our branch is facing mass outsourcing/cuts to the following Council services:

1.    Libraries

2.    Children’s Centres

3.    Adult Social Services

4.    Street Scene services

5.    Education and School meals

In addition Barnet Group (includes Barnet Homes and Your Choice Barnet) are seeking permission from the Policy & Resources Committee on 2 September to create a new Legal Entity (a new company wholly owned by the Council). For staff it will mean no access to the Council pension scheme an end to national bargaining and grossly inferior terms and conditions

We are about to enter in negotiations with Barnet Council over a new Pay and Grading review for all council staff including schools. From previous discussions it will mean attacks to terms and conditions, and taking workers out of national pay bargaining. It has been described as ‘asset stripping’ by our reps.

And finally last week staff were informed the Council has to find another £30 million of cuts.

Keep checking our web site for the Barnet UNISON response to the above.

 

That is the view of participants stated in the recently published Council’s Library Consultation report*.

UNISON and Library user groups challenged the fairness of the consultation from the outset, viewing it as forcing responses   accepting the Councils options as being the only ones possible for the future of our Libraries. But even with this weighting the result is a resounding no to the Council.

The report finds:

95 % support for libraries being run directly by the Council

Little support for library closures.

Condemnation of the proposed minimum average size of 540 square feet for Libraries.

Widespread praise of the expertise and professionalism of Barnet’s library staff, and a strong sense that these qualities could never be adequately replaced through the use of

The quality of the library service would be negatively affected if any of the options are implemented volunteers

Criticism of the ‘open library’ model (unstaffed libraries)  on grounds that it would pose a security risk to users, stock and facilities; as well as diluting the overall quality of the service

The Council, if it has any claim to be a democratic body responsive to the wishes of residents, must now discard the current proposals for libraries and instead present the people of Barnet with a plan that will save our Libraries and develop on the already admirable service they provide.

* Barnet’s Future Library Service: Final Report of the Consultation Outcomes.

Report of Findings for Opinion Research Services July 2015.

https://engage.barnet.gov.uk/consultation-team/library-review/user_uploads/barnet_libraries_final_full_report_2015_07_24_v2.pdf-2

IMPORTANT NEWS: Kids4Libraries march Saturday 12 September details here