Community & Voluntary Sector Update Dec 2006
Problems Continue for Voluntary Sector
Local situation
National picture
UNISON's position
Local Situation
Voluntary Sector organisations in Aberdeenshire have been forced
into terminating contracts with the local authority because of funding
problems.
In November Ark Housing terminated a contract with the council
to provide support to 54 people with complex needs. The service
was costing the charity in the region of £500,000 more to deliver
than the council was able to pay. Inspire (formerly Partnership),
who provide support services for adults and children with learning
disabilities throughout the north-east, also terminated a number
of smaller contracts with Aberdeenshire on the same grounds. Cornerstone,
another voluntary sector provider with services in Aberdeenshire,
is also believed to be reviewing contracts with councils because
of spiralling deficits.
top
National Picture
This is not just a local problem. At the end of last year, Turning
Point in Glasgow decided to call time on the services it had been
providing for six years to vulnerable adults. It was reckoned that
they were losing a quarter to half a million pounds each year for
the past three years. In a recent article in the Glasgow Herald,
Annie Gunner of Community Care Providers Scotland (CCPS), which
speaks for the sector, said: "Two or three other very large national
providers are also in the position of potentially withdrawing from
the market. People are very worried and bluffs are being called.
You end up in the position where organisations are having to subsidise
or prop up public services using their own resources."
Most organisations in the Voluntary Sector would contend that the
services they provide are delivering government policy and delivering
services that otherwise would have to be provided by the local authorities
themselves - and, in the main, delivering them cheaper than their
statutory counterparts. Add to that the costly demands on organisations
from central government in terms of better regulation of services
and better training and qualifications for staff and the problems
worsen.
Many voluntary organisations agree they could deliver cheaper services,
but at a cost - and that cost would be in paying staff at minimum
wage and forgoing training and development. As it is workers in
many voluntary agencies are falling even further behind their local
authority counterparts doing similar jobs in terms of salaries and
terms and conditions.
top
UNISON Position
UNISON, Scotland's biggest union for Community and Voluntary Sector(CVS)
workers, says that the Scottish Executives vision of the CVS providing
more services must include reforming conditions of employment in
the sector which it says are Dickensian. Focusing on overtime payments
and sleep over working, UNISON Regional Organiser Matt McLaughlin
said: "Scotland's social care employers receive millions of pounds
from the Scottish Executive and local councils to enable them to
provide support and assistance for people with disabilities living
in their own community.
"UNISON members will have 'slept over' in someone else's home
on Christmas Eve for as little as £25.00 for the entire night. Plus
some UNISON members will have worked Christmas Day for as little
as £6.10 per hour for a 12 hour shift. Some of them will have been
away from their families for as much at 28 hours." Matt added: "Recently
the Scottish Executive launched a five year vision for change, designed
to give the Community and Voluntary Sector a greater role in the
provision of public services.
Whilst UNISON welcomes that commitment, the Executive, local councils
and employers in the sector really need to stop talking about making
change and get on with it. Eradicating terms and conditions that
Scrooge would be proud of should be an important first step."
top
|
