Dundee Labour News Digest 16th. February 2013
Kevin Keenan Labour group leader, Dundee City Council
Council Budget : The Labour group's alternative savings 13 February 2013
Labour offered the following as alternative savings and would have used this to protect the front line services. Under the budget headings of Education, Social Work & Supporting People, our alternative proposals totalled ÂŁ1.544m detailed as follows:-
·
£1.335m - The complete windfall from Police and Fire reserves
·
£10k - Deletion of second Civic Car & Running Costs
·
152k - From the proposed 2013/14 spend of £608k Private Contractor Ash Disposal
·
£47k - From Corporate Services Division - Other Supplies and Services In conversation with three of the city's most senior Council Officers, I was advised General Fund Balances were at a seriously low level and they could not give support to using even part of the £1.335m windfall Dundee City will recover from the reserves of the former Tayside Police and Fire & Rescue Services. They also advised that part of this balance will be used to meet the severance payments required in line with the Administration’s Voluntary Early Retirement Scheme. The Labour Group thinks this money would be better spent overturning the SNP Administration’s front line service cuts. This £1.335m takes the General Fund Balance back to £4.75m. Officers suggested that they would like to see balances closer to £6m, therefore I have reluctantly had to accept their professional opinion agreeing not to take this fund. However, I do consider this reflects very poorly on this SNP Administration and its budget management - getting our city in a position were General Fund Balances are reported at an all time low. Given this position as reported by Council Officers, can the SNP continue with a Council Tax freeze without it being fully funded by the Scottish Government?
The SNP Scottish Goverment announced its budget just the other day offering no additional support to local Government. Whilst here in Dundee the SNP Administration again proposes to cut vital front line services that support people in need along with taking more teachers from our classrooms. It again confirms that an SNP Administration means uncaring and ruthless policies that will add misery to the lives of those most in need. Imposing a 5%, across the board reduction in social work and supporting people budgets is just a lazy and callous attempt to balance the books. The proposal to cut cutting mileage from 45p to 25p for casual mileage users, we consider will lead to considerable inefficiencies in travel time by people using public transport or walking. Therefore based on the information we have been provided by the Administration, we are reluctant to support what could be considered a break-away from Nationally Agreed Terms and Conditions of Employment by the SNP. The Civic car is another area where we have been unable to reach agreement. The public and the Council’s own workforce will have to make up their own minds - the Administration purchased a larger vehicle so more of them can be chauffeur driven at any one time.
I am also advised the Administration Councillors have taken training to self drive the electric vehicles - looks like our employees could be out of pocket but not the SNP Councillor. The SNP Administration proposes to increase charges in excess of 5%, way over the current rate of inflation. We understand the largest increase will be in planning fees seeing them increase by 20%. The Labour Group consider that this increase will bring no additional income. This large increase will discourage home improvement and likely lead to a situations where people carry out work without any due regard for Planning Legislation as they try to avoid the "stealth tax" this increased fee imposes. Dundee City Council had £600k in the 2012/13 budget for "Private Contractor Ash Disposal "and are making provision for £608k in the 2013/14 budget despite the fact that DERL has been out of commission from May 2012. Whilst it is disappointing that the Labour Group have been unable to convince Officers of a saving larger that £152k moving forward, we believe the public need an answer from the Administration What has this money been used for from May 2012? The Labour Group remains committed to supporting those in most need. Although it is disappointing that we will be unable to protect as many front line services as we would have liked.
We are offering a way forward. The SNP Administration could rule our proposals competent The final decision is theirs. We have offered a way forward to help the poor and vulnerable. I don’t care who gets the political credit. What is important to me is helping those who need the most help.
Web link : Kevin Keenan http://www.kevinkeenan.org.uk
Jim McGovern MP Jim McGovern calls for Dundee Waterfront Development meeting on use of local labour 16 February 2013
Dundee West MP Jim McGovern has written to Dundee City Council and Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd to call for a joint meeting to discuss the use of locally employed workers at the Dundee Waterfront Development. Mr McGovern raised the issue with the council and the construction company after constituents contacted the MP concerned that too few Dundee workers were being employed on the project. Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd. has since written Mr McGovern to inform him that they believe 85% of the workforce on the site live in Dundee, while Dundee City Council in a letter from David Dorward have said the figure is closer to 80%.
Mr McGovern has asked to visit the site to meet with the workforce, trade union representatives as well as representatives from Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd., their contractors and Dundee City Council in order to discuss any on-going concerns about the project and to substantiate the workforce figures that have so far been provided. Jim McGovern said, “It is vitally important that the major construction projects underway in Dundee employ local workers and provide employment to those within the city.” “The construction industry in Dundee has been badly hit in the last few years and unemployment remains stubbornly high. Now these large projects have began it is crucial that we ensure that it is the city’s workforce that benefits.” Mr McGovern concluded, “The very real concerns raised to me by my constituents must be taken seriously, and that is why I think it is important that a meeting and a site visit takes place in order to substantiate the figures I have given and to hear directly from the workforce.”
Web link : Jim McGovern MP http://www.jimmcgovern.co.uk
Councillor Lesley Brennan The impact of the SNP's Budget cuts in Dundee 15 February 2013
Yesterday’s SNP budget disproportionately impacts on women’s lives with their cuts in clerical jobs , cuts to not-for-profit agencies who deliver social work contracts and cuts to housing support service providers . These are largely jobs that are filled by women - carers, housing support officers and voluntary sector workers. The recipients of social care, a larger proportion of the service users are older women.
And daughters and sisters are more likely to be left filling the gap to care for older relatives as these contracts are cut. Therefore, I was very surprised that the assessment of these cuts from an equality and diversity perspective either suggests that no particular groups are affected, or the impact is unknown. I suggest the SNP Administration is aware of the impact but does not care because these jobs are not their priority. The debate at the rent setting meeting last month highlights this. The Labour Group proposed the creation of new housing officer posts to increase capacity to do house visits to support tenants to sustain their tenancy and reduce damage to properties as a part of a proactive spend to save strategy. We had evidence of over 50 properties that had over ÂŁ5,000 of repairs in the last year. One new build property had major repairs after one year after being let; these repairs included the replacement of mirrored wardrobe doors and serious damage to multiple walls. We wanted these new housing officers to target high and medium risk new tenants and the aim was to reduce re-let and daily repairs due to vandalism. This saving would slightly reduce the rent increase.
We were surprised when the Administration suggested we could not implement this reduction as they claimed that it might affect the budget of the Environment Department. Thus, I can only conclude that they are overlooking this vandalism of Council housing. When it comes to clerical jobs, social care contracts and housing support contracts (such as Women’s Aid), then the SNP Administration thinks this is acceptable to disproportionately hit women with their cuts. Well, I do not.
Web link : Lesley Brennan : http://www.lesleybrennan.com
Jenny Marra MSP Kemback Street families to get their day in Court 13 February 2013
Jenny Marra MSP has welcomed today’s news that the families of disabled adults who use the Kemback Street Day Care Centre in Dundee have been granted legal aid to take the Council’s decision to close Kemback Street to Judicial Review. Labour in Dundee has been supporting the Kemback Street families’ campaign to keep the day care centre open. Having failed to persuade SNP Councillors who voted for the closure, the campaign turned to the law to save the day centre. Lawyers will petition the Court over the next few weeks asking the law to review Dundee City Council’s decision.
Jenny Marra MSP reacted to today’s news saying, “The Kemback Street families will get their day in Court. “The SNP voted to close Kemback Street but I am glad that the law is now giving the families the chance to overturn the decision, having been ignored by the SNP Council. “Dundee City Council is being taken to Court over Kemback Street simply because they have failed to listen. “There are laws in this country which say that Councils must listen to the views of people who use their services. “The SNP Council have failed in this duty and that is why they will find themselves up in Court over the next few weeks. “This is about respect for people in Dundee who use Council services. “Respect for the disabled adults who want to stay in the Kemback Street Centre. “Respect for the families who value the community that day care gives their loved ones. “Respect for their right to be listened to. “The Kemback Street families have fought hard to be heard. “The SNP ignored the voices of the Kemback Street families. “I am glad that they will now be listened to in Court.”
Web link : Jenny Marra MSP : http://www.jennymarra.com
Councillor Richard McCready City Council Budget Set 15 February 2013
Yesterday the City Council set the Budget for the next year. Given their majority on the council it will come as no surprise that the SNP got their Budget proposals through. The SNP proposals included removing the restriction of class sizes in primary schools; increasing class sizes for Maths and English in 4 of Dundee's secondary schools. An across the board cut of 5% to externally funded social work services and externally funded supporting people services. The Labour Group put forward amendments to the council's capital plan.
Our plans would have seen money moved from being spent on improvements to the Environment Department to being spent on improving schools in the city. Unfortunately our amendment was voted down by the SNP. I seconded Labour's Revenue Budget amendment. Our amendment would have retained class sizes of 20 for Maths and English classes in every secondary schools and given a fund to soften the blow of the cuts to externally funded social work services and supporting people services. The Budget is all about priorities. I accept that times are difficult and that governments in Holyrood and Westminster have not been kind to us. There are many things in the Budget that I would rather the council was not doing. To be fair, I am sure that every councillor is the same. I want to say that the education of young people in our schools is a priority and I want to say that protecting the vulnerable in our society is a priority. Our savings would have come from things like hospitality budgets, and money spent on dealing with ash from the non-functioning DERL plant. I believe that it is wrong to treat pupils differently in different schools. I want every one of the council's schools to be successful and to invest in the future of the young people who attend that school.
That is why our amendment sought to re-instate class sizes of 20 for S1 & S2 Maths and English. I cannot believe that an across the board 5% cut to externally purchased social work services or protecting people services is a well thought out, fair and equitable way of proceeding. We heard deputations from Unison and Dundee Voluntary Action. I shared concerns which had been raised about the Equality Impact Assessment We must seek to defend the poor and the vulnerable in our society. We should seek to be a voice for the voiceless. I am disappointed that officers have suggested that Labour's plan to use the police and fire service reserves was not allowed. But we found ÂŁ300,000 to set up a fund to soften the blow for those organisations being faced with a cut of 5%. We were also looking for any extra monies that become available from places like DERL should be spent on protecting the vulnerable in our society. Labour's amendment sought to support education and sought to support those most in need of council services. I am disappointed that SNP councillors did not listen to us and that they voted to cut 5% off services for some of the most needy in Dundee.
web link : Richard McCready http://www.richardmccready.org.uk
Councillor Laurie Bidwell Dundee School Leavers' Destinations 15 February 2013
On Friday the Scottish Government published a snap shot of statistics about the 'destination' of school leavers from the last complete school year: August 2011-June 2012. Based on information available in September 2012, these figures provide some insight to how our school leavers are doing. More specifically they let us know how many and what proportion of our school leavers in Dundee went from school into 'a positive destination'; a job, a place at University or College or work based training such as an apprenticeship. While more detailed figures will be published in June this year, the picture emerging from the provisional figures shows that Dundee has the third lowest proportion of school leavers going directly to University. At the same time, it has the highest proportion of young people leaving school and going on directly to Further Education College.
From previous experience we know that a proportion of those young people who leave school and go to College will later gain the qualifications and the confidence to progress to University. Overall nine out of ten of our school leavers in Dundee are going into work, training or education upon leaving school. This is very marginally above the Scottish average of 89.9 per cent. There is clearly no room for complacency in our schools. It would be good to see more of our school leavers having gained university entrance qualifications right first time.
Web link : Laurie Bidwell http://www.lauriebidwell.org.uk