Inverclyde Council Budget 2017/19

Dear Colleagues

The Policy & Resources Committee will also consider a report entitled “People & Organisational Development Strategy 2017-2020” when they meet at the end of this month.. This updates a previous report on the same subject matter.

Given the estimated budget gap of £14.5m for the period 2017/19, the report states that the overall reduction in the number of employees could be between 175 – 300 FTE.

In calculating these figures a broad brush approach has been taken – if that isn’t obvious. Even at the lower end, this represents significant job losses. Most, possibly all, of these job losses won’t happen until 2018 and in many cases later in 2018 due to the likely timing of the budget processes.

Part of UNISON’s strategy locally will be to take a position on whether to support a ‘soft’ trawl of employees in areas likely to be affected by the cuts. On the one hand we are fundamentally opposed to cuts in jobs and services. On the other we do recognise the practical benefits in identifying where there may be interest in voluntary severance / early retirement before decisions are taken.

We will also be asking the political parties locally to state their positon on compulsory redundancies. Both the Labour and SNP groups are signed up to UNISON’s no compulsory redundancy pledge. However this commitment only lasts until the end of the 2017/18 budget year. The Branch will be asking them to sign up to the pledge and extend their commitment beyond 31st March 2018.

Robin Taggart

Branch Secretary

Unison (Inverclyde Branch)

Old Library

30 Bawhirley Road,

Greenock

PA15 2BH