Union to fight council outsourcing plan
Union members plan to lobby North Somerset Council over plans to make changes to support services.
The local authority says it needs to make a 10 per cent reduction in costs over three years (2009-2012), equivalent to £1.5 million.
This follows a reduction in Government funding, which has put pressure on North Somerset Council's budget.
As a result the authority has conducted the Internal Support Services Review looking at ways to make potential savings.
It examined council functions which support those services working directly with the public including human resources, payroll, ICT, finance and property.
Options now being considered which include putting support services out to private businesses instead, which would result in internal job losses.
But the council insists these jobs, as many as 40, would go through natural wastage and redeployment.
The plans will be discussed further at a meeting of the executive on June 9.
Trade union Unison, which represents many council workers, says representatives will be at the meeting with placards and leaflets.
Branch secretary Helen Thornton said: "Our feeling all along has been that the council hasn't done much work at looking at what they could save internally.
"If they don't have any idea what we can save in-house, they can't say the private market represents a good deal.
"From what we have seen so far, this recommendation is based on a lot of assumption and very little evidence."
Councillor Felicity Baker, executive member with responsibility for internal organisation and lead member for the review, said: "In recommending an outsourcing arrangement, we believe this approach offers the best potential for good support services at a reduced cost to the council taxpayer.
"We recognise that staff will have a number of concerns. Once again, we are keen to give staff the opportunity to express these.
"A number of meetings and briefings have already taken place and these will continue, as we want to support staff.
"It must be stressed that no compulsory redundancies or significant changes to staff terms and conditions, such as pensions, are anticipated as a result of this recommendation.
"There will be a reduction in staff in support services, but this should be achieved through natural turnover, redeployment and retraining."
2 Comments
by Jonathan, Montreal, QC
Saturday, May 30 2009, 6:40PM
“Sam, with respect, you're talking utter rubbish.
Everyone knows that the public sector is more prone to red tape and have a lot more middle managers to pay than private enterprise. This is why the private sector can do work more cheaply than the public sector. A prime example of this is the NHS, they wouldn't be in nearly as much debt if it weren't for the middle managers that have to be paid.
Admittedly the best option would be if the public sector changed and streamlined their processes, so that they could compete with private business, but that's a whole new argument...”
by Sam, Somerset
Saturday, May 30 2009, 9:28AM
“It beggers belief that the Council want to outsource instead of looking at in-house options. It was greedy profiteering by the private sector that led to this country¿s worse financial crisis ever. Isn't that why some banks are now publically owned again. How can outsourcing and privatising possible represent best value to the tax payer? Does anyone really want their tax money to go to a company whose key interest is making a profit rather than being ploughing money back into tax payers¿ services. Private companies have their place but only outside of public services. A reduction in staff will also mean a reduction in front line services for the people of North Somerset. Particularly at this time when the public need more support from their public services, this option doesn¿t make sense. Everyone living in North Somerset should lobby their Council to support keeping the services in-house and reducing the job losses that in turn support them.”