Barnet UNISON

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Key Briefing on In House transformation

Recommendations:

The Council should ensure that the Future Shape of the Council programme adopts the key components of this initial transformation strategy:

1.      Innovation and new ways of working: using joint Council/trade union workshops to explore the scope for service innovation and integration, shared services and public-public partnerships and staff and user involvement and empowerment.

2.      Performance comparisons and benchmarking should compare like with like using verifiable and audited performance information.

3.      Development of options must be based on improved and innovative in-house provision reflecting the full potential of the service, not on the current service.

4.      Options appraisal criteria should be amended and based on twelve criteria described below.

5.      In-house bids should be submitted if procurement selected.

6.      An accessible evidence base is prepared to support the development and appraisal of options.

To read the Full Briefing click here

“What has been going on in the consultation meetings?”

 Since the Cabinet report we have had very little to look at. However we have been using the time to try to research what is happening in other Councils across the UK

“Isn’t this just a smoke screen for getting rid of staff.”

I don’t know. From the start I was justifiably cynical that the Future had already been ‘shaped , the only outstanding issue…which services will be the first to move out of Council control?

In the meetings I have been consistently raising the need for in house services to have a level playing field with other service delivery options. The Project Director and members of the team have consistently reiterated that there is no set agenda and the outcome is not set. This has been reported in answer to questions to staff on the Councils intranet.

“If we provide a good service and have an in house transformation plan will we be safe from privatisation?”

No, in recent weeks the dominant theme that is emerging from our discussions is the following paragraph from the 6 May 2008 Cabinet report

“1. Developing capacity, shrinking organisational scale

The authority will look to scale down to a size which would mean it delivering only what the local authority must deliver in order to achieve efficiencies and improved services for residents (which might mean them being delivered by another organisation), what implications would that have for the council. This work stream will seek to address this.”

The Joint Trade Unions have been looking to establish a level playing field for in house services. Our Briefings have been looking to establish clear parameters by which in house services will be compared to other delivery options. However it seems the ‘shrinking’ element appears to be the key driver to Future Shape.

As we draw closer to 3 December Cabinet Committee’s decision on the Future for Barnet staff,  the Trade Unions and Council staff need to know:

1. What do the Council mean by developing capacity?

2. What do the Council mean by Shrinking organisational scale? (In Plain English this surely means getting rid of staff. The question is which staff and how many?)

3. What does ‘Delivering only what the local authority must deliver’ mean?

4. Which services would they want to stop delivering?

Be prepared

In the past when the Council has carried out consultation on privatisation, the Trade Unions have been accused of scaremongering and misrepresenting the process. This was a familiar tactic to undermine the attempts of the Trade Unions to try and ensure elected members are fully appraised of the options. We do still live in a democracy and we are fully entitled to lobby councillors.

What is different this time?

In this consultation the Council has made a serious commitment by providing significant resources; they agreed funding for The European Services Strategy Unit to provide research and critical analysis for the Joint Trade unions in the consultation process and extra resources for both Trade Unions.

The Joint Trade Unions have made it clear to the Project team that they need to respond to the recommendations published in our five Briefings to date. In light of the real risk that some services may face privatisation, the Council must respond urgently.

The Future Shape of the Council programme is reviewing outsourced services. The trade unions welcome these reviews and want to ensure they are comprehensive and rigorous so that lessons can be learnt.

Recommendations

1.      The Future Shape of the Council programme should adopt a more comprehensive contract review process based on five criteria – Performance; Impact on the council, service users and staff; Service integration; Contract management and monitoring; and Employment issues.

2.      Each review report should be available to the relevant Committee, managers and trade unions.

An overview report should be prepared drawing together all the lessons learnt together with recommendations.

To view full Briefing click here

Barnet Homes Future Shape questionnaire

To all members working for Barnet Homes, you should have received a questionnaire and letter regarding the ‘Future Shape of the Council‘. We have also included copies of Council Committee papers that would suggest that they are also looking at the future of Barnet Homes.

Options include :

• Retaining Barnet Homes and extending their business
• Bringing the management of the stock back in house after completion of the Decent Homes’ programme.
• Transfer the stock to a Housing Association.

It is important that you return the questionnaire and attend the meetings outlined in the letter as this affects your future and your pension.

The meetings are in the Boardroom on the 9th Floor Barnet House on

Monday 22 September and Wednesday 1 October 2008 from 12.30pm

They should last only half an hour and John Burgess will be attending
I look forward to seeing you there.

Anne Denison.

UNISON Convenor for Barnet Homes

 

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