Campaigns News

Council set to end moves for a sport and culture trust

Statement from Inez Kirk, Branch Secretary on the paper to council recommending the ceasing of plans to move to a trust model for the delivery of sport and culture, including libraries.

Today (12th Jan 2018) papers have been released by Aberdeenshire council prior to the full council meeting next week seeking approval for the ceasing of the proposals to move to a trust model of delivery for sport and culture.

The council cites the cost of continuing  where there is no potential benefit from savings in non domestic rates and VAT.

At the Council meeting in November UNISON issued a paper to all councillors and Community Councils warning them that there was no guarantee of savings due to Scottish Government announcements and the change to VAT rules.

We asked them to delay making any decision until the full facts were apparent and avoid making unnecessary spending decisions and cause upset to the workforce.

Unfortunately the majority of the council did not heed our warnings.

At the full council meeting next week it is entirely obvious that the council will make a decision to halt all future steps to create a trust model of delivery and revert to continuing with all services remaining in house.

If only the council had listened to UNISON at the time, unnecessary spending could have been avoided and staff would not have had to suffer stress over their futures over the holiday period.

UNISON has been entirely vindicated in everything that we have said.

We will continue to work with the council to progress matters.

I will be sending out a briefing to our members and expect to comment to the press on this matter.

This is down to all the work you have all done, so thankyou.

Sometimes a gradual approach works.

Inez Kirk