UNISON has criticised the move and say it’s short sighted and a ‘knee jerk’ reaction.
The union understands the challenges facing the local authority following the Covid-19 pandemic but says the Council has adopted the wrong response.
Revenues into the Council coffers are falling. Money raised through fees and charges is down, businesses closed during lockdown are not paying business rates and rising unemployment will see fewer households paying council tax.
We know the challenges facing local Councils and they’re significant.
But now is simply not the time to downsize. As we enter what could be the longest and deepest recession since the great depression of the 1930s families in our community will look to the Council and to Government to provide support.
It’s time for the council to step up and meet the challenge not to pare back and disappear down a rabbit hole.
We know Local Government isn’t in good shape, ten years of austerity cuts have seen service decimated, what’s left is often propped up by hard working staff who despite rather than because of the support they’ve receive do a brilliant job supporting our communities.
Councils have weathered difficult times before, but the sector enters this turbulent period largely unprepared and far less resilient than in the past. UNISON warned the so-called reform to local government funding was little more than a botched set of short-term decisions.
In a race to cut central government costs the grants paid to Councils were slashed leaving the sector lurching from one year to the next with no certainty. And the failure to grasp funding of social care and children’s services has been a huge abdication of leadership.
The sector is now left with a mishmash. Plans to close the huge and every growing funding gap were conditioned to expanding the council tax base through more house building – more houses means more council tax. On top was a promise to let Council’s retain local business rates, fine for London and its Home Counties not so lucrative for the Midlands and the North.
New look Councils were lauded not as the provider of essential public services but civic entrepreneurs, leading business communities to great and prosperous times. Relaxed borrowing increased risk taking, big dealing Chief Exec’s went looking for the next high return investment in an attempt to generate alternative sources of income. Commercial ventures that failed now add to the council’s financial difficulties.
Faux promises of better times have ground to a halt, with this recession comes falling economic activity, confidence disappearing, unemployment rising, tax revenue dropping and the demand for public services increasing.
Now is the time our communities need the security only the public sector can provide. Families who can’t make ends meet need support to help care for their kids. Young people need meaningful engagement not left to gather at street corners. Workers need jobs and hope not rejection and despair. Now is the time for big government.
Boris Johnson promises huge investment to get the UK economy moving but as we know from experience there is a big difference between ritzy glitzy press launches and the hard graft of Government. Unless he recognises the value of local government as the only UK wide integrated delivery vehicle with the knowledge of local communities he and his Government will fail.
Rather than retreat into submission Nottingham’s political Leaders should withdraw their planned job cuts and show bold and confident leadership, demanding of Government the financial support our City deserves.
For jobs, for people, for Nottingham.
Christina Sanna
UNISON Branch Secretary Nottingham City Branch
