NEWS
Birmingham to cut 6,000 more jobs by 2018
A further 6,000 workers at Birmingham City Council could lose their jobs because of the severity of public service cuts, council leader Sir Albert Bore has revealed.
Since 2010, the local authority’s workforce has declined from 20,000 to 13,000 but by 2018 Sir Albert believes this number will have to fall even further, to 7,000 – some of whom will be employed
by arm’s-length organisations.
In a statement to the full council on 16 September, Sir Albert said: “Over many years we have not given enough attention to how we manage staff reductions and plan the workforce we will need in the future.
“If we don’t act now then the consequences will be catastrophic for the future functioning of this
organisation.”
The Labour politician added that he wants the council and the people of Birmingham to reflect on the stark fact that by 2018 the council will be operating with a workforce less than one-third the size of that in 2010.
“But we must resolve difficult issues to do with how we carry out the further reductions in staff
numbers that will be needed and how we will ensure that we have the right people in the right place doing the right things,” said Sir Albert.
Unions meet LGA to discuss pay offer
by 2.2%, providing the unions called off the strike action set for Tuesday, 14 October.
As PSE was going to press, local government unions were meeting with employers and the Local Government Association (LGA) to discuss the latest pay proposals.
At the end of September, the LGA put forward a ‘long-term’ proposal to increase council worker pay
The new pay deal would start from 1 January 2015 (not back-dated) through to 31 March 2016. It would also mean a 2.2% increase for most employees and a new minimum hourly rate of £7 per hour.
Ahead of the latest meeting, Unison called on local government employers to “reconsider” their current pay proposals and come forward with “improved ones
which begin to tackle the hardship facing all of its members”.
The trade union added that the LGA’s proposal was not a “formal offer” and had not been signed off by councils.
Unison’s NJC committee, which represents the affected workers, looked at the LGA’s proposal, but noted that there were “difficult issues facing Unison’s members
and leadership in
considering proposals which appear to be aimed at dividing the workforce”.
Ahead of the meetings, Heather Wakefield, head of local government at Unison, said: “A key element of concern was that the majority of Unison members would get less than a 1% pay rise this year.
“I would very sincerely urge you [LGA] to reconsider the current proposals and come forward with improved ones which begin to tackle the hardship facing all of our members.”
Unison, GMB and Unite have all been involved in the LGA talks.
LGA backs calls for a Constitutional Convention on devolution
Councils in England have joined Ed Miliband in calling for a Constitutional Convention to thrash out devolution across the UK, including to local authority level.
The calls for the convention come in the aftermath of Scotland electing to stay part of the UK in the independence referendum. All three major Westminster parties pledged further devolution of powers to Scotland after a ‘no’ vote.
The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, wants the government to set “an urgent timetable” for devolution and has welcomed the Labour leader’s
6 | public sector executive Oct/Nov 14
plans to set up a Constitutional Convention on the issue.
LGA chair Cllr David Sparks said: “The Scottish referendum has clearly demonstrated that there is a real appetite for the devolution of powers from Westminster which does not stop at the border.
“The UK will not be content to settle for the status quo and the new powers that Scotland will now receive must be given to local areas in England and Wales.
“It is locally-elected councils – driving
their local economies
through devolved taxation and greater control over council tax and business rates – which can satisfy the desire of people in England to have greater say in
the places they live and work. The clock is ticking and we need to act now.”
The Conservatives’ response to the devolution debate has been to insist on ‘English votes for English laws’, banning MPs
from elsewhere in the UK from voting on legislation affecting only England. Labour and the Lib Dems oppose this.
More on the details of the
Constitutional Convention at the PSE website.
© Birmingham News Room
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