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

Dear UNISON member

As you all know Barnet Council UNISON members (excluding schools staff) are taking strike action on Wednesday 7 October.

Over the past two weeks we have been busy contacting our members by letter, meetings, phone, text and email.

However, last week we noticed that our weekly Enews which is sent to all of our members was not being delivered to our members working for Barnet Council.

We have conducted investigations to see if the problem was at our end. Our emails have been going to other employers emails and private email addresses, so it is clear that the problem lies with the IT service provided Capita.

I have written to senior officers of the Council and Capita to try to establish why all of a sudden Barnet UNISON emails were not reaching our members.

In the meantime it is important that our members are kept up to date on the details of the strike.

Please report to one of the following picket lines

1. Barnet House—From 7 am

Picket Line Coordinator: Helen Davies 07432733168

2. Mill Hill Depot—From 6 am

Picket Line Coordinator: John Burgess 07738389569

3. East Finchley Library—From 9 am

Picket Line Coordinator: Hugh Jordan 07983391740

Rally 12.30 -St Johns Church Hall, Friern Barnet Lane

Speakers to be confirmed.

To find out more about the strike click here

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary

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

 

The Barnet UNISON office is due to move today Friday 24 July from NLBP to Barnet House 1255 High Road, Whetstone N20 0EJ.

Our office is on the first floor.

Our contact details are same 0208 359 2088 or email contactus@barnetunison.org.uk

21 July 2015

Barnet Council has five commissioning outsourcing projects which will have a direct impact on the majority of the council workforce:

1. Educations & Skills and School Meals

2. Adults and Communities

3. Early Years – Children’s Centres

4. Street Scene & related services

5. Libraries

Barnet UNISON has put together an initial timetable for all the outsourcing decisions for all five outsourcing projects using links from the Barnet Council Committees website.

The timetable for key decisions extends from September 2015 to January 2016.

This timetable will need to be updated as developments emerge.

Timetable for Outsourcing decisions

Background:

The Council must publish committee reports five working days before the date of the committee meeting. This provides an opportunity for the public to read the report and submit questions, which need to be submitted to the Council two working days before the relevant committee meeting.

“Refer up to Council”.

This means councillors can discuss a committee report but at the same time formally refer it up to a Full Council meeting at which all 63 councillors will have a vote on the decision.

Dates of Full Council meetings:

· 20 October 2015

· 8 December 2015

· 26 January 2016

· 1 March 2016

· 4 April 2016

Below is a chronological list of in house council services & dates of council committee meetings where decisions are being made as to who will be the future provider.

1. Barnet Group – New Legal Entity

The future employment rights of new staff working for Barnet Homes & Your Choice Barnet will be decided at Policy & Resources Committee on Wednesday 2 September

“To approve the business case for the creation of a new legal entity within The Barnet Group with new company terms and conditions including a new pay and grading model, pension scheme and a flexible benefits solution.” See here

This decision could be referred up to Council meeting on 20 October 2015

2. Mental Health Services

The future of Mental Health Services will be decided at the Adults and Safeguarding Committee Monday 16 September 2015

“Committee to receive the Mental Health Community Model Full Business Case.” See here

This decision could be referred up to Council meeting on 20 October 2015

3. Library Services

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

“To approve the future shape of library provision in Barnet” See here

This decision could be referred up to Council meeting on 20 October 2015

4. Education & School Meals

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

“Selection of partner for the creation of a joint venture to deliver education services in Barnet” See here

Then a decision will go to the following Committees:

· Policy and Resources Committee, Tuesday 1st December, 2015 7.00 pm

· Council, Tuesday 8th December, 2015 7.00 pm

5. Children’s Centres

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

“To consider options for the future delivery of early years services in Barnet.” See here

This decision could be referred up to Council meeting on 8 December 2015

6. Adults & Communities

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

“Committee to receive a report on Adult Social Care ADM project, including consultation and early findings/SOC.” see here

This decision could be referred up to Council meeting on 8 December 2015

and again on Tuesday 19 January 2016 Adults and Safeguarding Committee will decide:

“Committee to receive a report on Adult Social Care ADM project OBC” See here

This decision could be referred up to Council meeting on 26 January 2016

7. Street Scene & related services

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

“Alternative Delivery Model: OBC To agree the outline business case for the alternative delivery of Street Scene and related services.” See here

This decision could be referred up to Council meeting on 26 January 2016

Catering staff know what’s cooking. They don’t like privatisation and they will be on strike 8^th July

Children’s centre staff know it’s child’s play – of course they don’t like privatisation and they will be on strike 8^th July

Refuse workers know rubbish when they see it. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8^th July

Social Workers know about safeguarding services. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8^th July

OT’s have assessed the situation. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8^th July

Assessment and Enablement Officers have reviewed the situation. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8^th July

Hospital social workers have arranged support but not for privatisation. They will be taking strike action 8^th July

Mental Health workers know what makes them crazy. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8^th July

Coach drivers and passenger escorts know something about the direction of travel. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8^th July

Library workers have read all about it. They don’t like privatisation and they will be taking strike action 8^th July

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Barnet UNISON confirms 24 hour strike on 8 July

Barnet UNISON members who still work for Barnet Council (excluding community schools) will begin  a 24 hour strike action on Wednesday 8 July

The dispute involves coach escorts, drivers, social workers, 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 the Barnet Council.

Picket Lines will be:

· North London Business Park—Start 7 am onwards.

· Mill Hill Depot—Starts 6 am onwards.

· East Finchley Library—Start 9 am onwards.

Lobby of Parliament

Barnet UNISON will be joining other trade unions and disability rights campaigners on a lobby of Parliament in defence of Public Services and Trade Union rights on 8 July, assemble at 1 pm in Parliament Square, (opposite Westminster Abbey).

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 “The easyCouncil Loco-motion” which pretty much sums up the mood of our members take a look here https://youtu.be/Wi0bdgofsmM”

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. 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 has 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:

1. Early Years – 13 Children’s Centres

2. Library Services

3. Adults & Communities services

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

5. 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

Barnet UNISON Press Release: 1 July 2015 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: “3 wheels on my wagon and I’m still rolling along”

UNISON calls on councillors to stop Education privatisation project :

First there were three contractors, then there were two and now there is only one and as the song goes the commissioning juggernaut “keeps rolling along”

The fate of almost 400 Council workers hangs in the balance as two out of the three private contractors ‘bail out’ of the bidding process.

It is clear that the market has spoken and the message is loud and clear. The market is not interested in what has been offered up for sale which is why UNISON has written to Barnet Council asking to postpone the procurement process and exclude the Catering Service from the Joint Venture Company option and retain the service in-house.

Barnet Council actively promotes itself with the support of Capita as a “Commissioning Council.” Throughout this period of change the Council claims to be open to all options as to who delivers the service. However the reality paints a different picture as the outsoucing of over a thousand staff can confirm.

UNISON Branch Secretary, John Burgess, said: “The fact that Capita has pulled out of contract talks should be ringing alarm bells for councillors. The decision of officers to go ahead simply reinforces the feelings of the workforce that the Council is wedded to outsourcing even when the market is clearly saying that there is very little interest. Only outsourcing fundamentalists would argue that Best Value can be achieved under these circumstances. The common sense postion would be to postpone the process and look to develop an improved in-house service. Our members will be taking strike action on 8 July as they want to remain Council employees.”

Notes to Editors.

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

Background:

On 31 January 2015 Barnet Council put out an invitation to tender for Education & Skills and School Meals services which you can view here

http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:36188-2015:TEXT:EN:HTML

The contract was advertised & valued from £89 million up to £986 million.

The tender received only three bids from:

1. Capita Business Services Ltd

2. EC Harris LLP

3. Mott MacDonald Ltd, trading as Cambridge Education

However, just before the contract talks began EC Harris LLP mysteriously dropped out and this is what the Council had to say:

“As you are aware, we commenced dialogue with our bidders last week.  One of our bidders (EC Harris) withdrew from the process shortly before dialogue commenced.  Whilst this is obviously disappointing, it is not unusual in this sort of procurement and I’m pleased to report that discussions with the remaining two bidders have been very positive and interesting so far.”

On Wednesday 24 June staff working for Education & Skills received an email from the Council explaining that:

“Capita Business Services Ltd submitted a letter withdrawing from the procurement process, as they had concluded that this particular opportunity did not provide the right fit with their Entrust business model.”

They went on to add:

“It is recognised that this may raise questions about the lack of competitive tension in the process and the subsequent ability of the Council to test best value from the final tender.  However, it is not unusual for competitive dialogue procurements to end up with a single bidder and there are various robust means through which we can test best value.”

On 8 June UNISON submitted a report asking the Council to postpone the project after news that the third bidder had droped out before the contract talks began. http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Barnet%20Education%20&%20Skills%20subcontracting_0.pdf

On Monday 29 June UNISON submitted statement to Barnet Councllors asking them to call off the project http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/?q=node/1596

Key Links:

Barnet Council – Commissioning Council At Any Price

http://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/barnet-council-commission-council-at.html

Competitive tension, or: providing the right fit – another outsourcing farce in Broken Barnet

http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/competitive-tension-or-providing-right.html

On 31 January 2015 Barnet Council put out invitation to tender for Education & Skills and School Meals services which you can view here

http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:36188-2015:TEXT:EN:HTML

The contract was advertised & valued from £89 million up to £986 million.

The tender received only three bids from:

1. Capita Business Services Ltd

2. EC Harris LLP

3. Mott MacDonald Ltd, trading as Cambridge Education.

However, just before the contract talks began EC Harris LLP mysteriously dropped out and this is what the Council had to say:

“As you are aware, we commenced dialogue with our bidders last week.  One of our bidders (EC Harris) withdrew from the process shortly before dialogue commenced.  Whilst this is obviously disappointing, it is not unusual in this sort of procurement and I’m pleased to report that discussions with the remaining two bidders have been very positive and interesting so far.”

UNISON was concerned about the lack of bidders and sent a report to councillors outlining our concerns and calling for a postponement of the process.

You can read what we had to say here and read the response from the Council below:

“Further to your email of 8^th June 2015 and Councillor Thompstone’s response of the same date, Councillor Thompstone has asked me to provide a more detailed response to the points raised in the paper you circulated.

Firstly, in respect of the Outline Business Case and financial modelling, these were considered at the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee meeting in January.  At that meeting, it was made clear to Members of the Committee that the modelling was based on a series of assumptions that were set out in the Outline Business Case.  It was also made clear that the only way of testing these assumptions further and reaching an informed view would be to undertake a procurement exercise and that is the process that we are in at the moment.  I therefore see no basis on which we would benefit from revisiting either the Outline Business Case or the financial modelling at this stage in the process.  The outcomes of the procurement exercise will be set out in a Full Business Case, which will be presented to the Committee in November in order for the Committee to make an informed decision on the way forward.

Moving on to your concerns regarding sub-contracting, I can assure you that any contractual arrangements that come out of this procurement exercise would not permit sub-contracting of any part of the service without the prior agreement of the Council.  Furthermore, the competitive dialogue process requires bidders to set out their proposals for delivering services throughout the life of the contract, including the use of sub-contractors, and these proposals will be tested in full as part of that process.  The contract itself will also include robust arrangements for the management of any sub-contractor arrangements.

As Councillor Thompstone indicated in his email, it is our view that keeping all of these services together will provide the most coherent and integrated offer to schools and that excluding the catering service could reduce the viability of the venture.  This will also be tested as part of the competitive dialogue process.

The Equalities Impact Assessment is a “live” document that is updated throughout the process.  We are currently in the process of updating our detailed HR data and this will feed into an update of the Assessment, as will the outcomes of Outline Solutions.  The Assessment will continue to be updated throughout the process, with a final version being included in the Full Business Case.

It would be our intention to include arrangements for profit-sharing, open book accounting and an annual report in the contract in any event and these would apply equally to any sub-contractor.  Within Mr Whitfield’s paper, these suggestions are linked to concerns regarding there only being two bidders.  We are not seeking to appoint the cheapest bidder here, nor are bidders just competing against each other. Bids will be assessed against the evaluation criteria that we have set (of which 30% relates to financial benefit) and the successful bidder will need to meet all of the objectives that have been set for the project relating to service quality, engagement with schools and the delivery of the MTFS savings.”

It is interesting to note there is no mention of a subcontractor taking part in the talks.

To find out what happened next read Education Privatisation Saga Part Two.