UNISON Response to the Budget proposals

Introduction
UNISON recognises that the Council are facing budgetary pressures arising from a number of issues. However we are fundamentally opposed to the current budget proposals for the following reasons:

Impact on service Users
We do not believe that the Council have taken sufficient time to study the impact of these reductions on service users. What will be the impact of reductions in bus services, will our citizens be able to get to work? Or will we be causing additional isolation to those within communities without their own transport? It should be noted that reductions in bus services disproportionately affect the elderly. In fact it is elderly citizens who seem to be taking the brunt of the cuts. It is the elderly who will be most affected by the reduction in the hot meals service. We can no longer be sure that our service users are receiving the nutrition they need. They will also lose that daily contact.

It is somewhat ironic that, at a time when we are demanding freshly cooked meals in schools, we are happy to impose frozen food on older people.

The proposals around home care are also going to affect older people but especially those who rely on the service to maintain their independence. They maintain this by knowing they can rely on the services they need. It seems highly unlikely that they will be able to rely on private agencies to the same degree. We are concerned these new Community Care Assistants will not be trained, because many private agencies require workers to pay for their own training. How will service users be able to guarantee, in the way we do, that the person in their home is fit to hold such responsibility?

We are also deeply concerned at the impact of the proposals on Regeneration services. At a time when many of our communities are still reeling from the loss of the coal and textile industries, it cannot be the time to reduce our ability to attract and keep new businesses and to ensure that local people have the skills to find work.

Impact on the Council
UNISON is deeply concerned that these proposals will have on the Council, within this we must include the proposals around the restructuring as the majority of the preferences on the structure are driven by budgetary restrictions.

How will the Council absorb the £3.6 million cuts in resources, the £2 million in support services and £1 million in management reductions? The risk of creating huge workloads for those staff who remain is significant. It should also be stated that we are hugely concerned at the lack of joined up thinking around the budget cuts and restructuring. This could lead to a member of staff displaced by the budget cuts being redeployed and then at risk again from the restructuring.

We are also unsure whether the additional costs associated with the current proposals have been taken into account. For example, the privatisation of home care will need a significant increase in contract commissioning, management and compliance work. There will be an increase in work for social workers to ensure that service users are receiving the services they need. Have these additional costs been assessed? How we will ensure that those who use to receive a daily visit via the meals on wheels service will get that essential daily contact? How will this be funded?

Council priorities
We cannot accept that the Council needs a call centre more than our citizens needs a hot meal or support in their home. We believe that the Council need to urgently rethink their priorities.

UNISON further believe that it is possible to fund the majority of the budget reductions without affecting our services or jobs.

Alternatives
As stated above there are alternatives to the current proposals. The lack of any alternatives in the budget proposals is a very serious issue on two fronts. Firstly how can Councillors make an informed decision, a decision which will fundamentally change the very nature of the Council, if they have no other options before them. It is a blatant disregard of democratic accountability and control. Secondly, if there are no alternatives, how do we know if the proposals are best for the Authority and the people we serve?

UNISON had hoped to be able to table some alternatives at this stage. Unfortunately the information we have requested to allow us to do so has yet to be presented. However we do know that the Council is involved in over 300 partnerships. Unfortunately we do not know how much these cost us and whether they provide value for money. It seems likely that a proper review of these arrangements would free up considerable funds.

UNISON will present alternative proposals as soon as we are able. It does seem unfortunate that the Council must rely on its unions to undertake work of such a important nature which is fundamental to the democratic control of our Authority.

Redundancy Compensation
The issue around the proposals for redundancy pay are also inextricably linked to the current budget situation. The final offer from management is a huge reduction in benefit to staff. In light of the reductions in staffing it cannot be fair nor reasonable to impose these reductions on staff who are to lose their employment. UNISON are asking that we find a way to ensure that those staff at risk now receive redundancy pay in line with their contractual rights. We do not believe that our Councillors would want to do anything less.

Equality of Pain
In such times as these our best defence is to work together. It is disappointing to see no proposals which affect elected members directly. UNISON hopes that in line with the restructuring that there will be a commensurate reduction in the number of cabinet posts. We also hope that councillors will look at what they can offer to show solidarity with staff and service users.

Conclusions
In light of the above we put forward the following proposals:

>> That urgent work is undertaken to identify funds to delay the implementation of the current proposals.

>> That each proposal is properly assessed for its impact on service users, the wider public, Council staff and the level of additional costs they will create.

>> That work is undertaken to identify alternative reductions which will minimise the impact on services and jobs.

>> That the Council works urgently with unions to honour its contractual obligations with those staff at risk with regard to redundancy compensation.

>> That we work together to lobby government for a fair and reasonable settlement