Tag: public services

Local Government services once again undervalued and underappreciated, says COSLA

The essential, everyday services provided by Scotland’s Councils – upon which we all rely – have once again been undervalued and underappreciated by Tueday’s passing of the Scottish Budget, says COSLA.

COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “Our ask of Scottish Government throughout the Budget process was to give Scotland’s 32 Councils the fair funding and flexibility they deserve to be able to deliver the essential services that they provide to communities and have continued to provide throughout the COVID pandemic.  

“We are pleased that the Cabinet Secretary has listened to Local Government and agreed to baseline the £90m that was made available to councils who chose to freeze Council Tax during 2021-22.

“However, our key ask around fair funding and local flexibility has not been met with the passing of the Budget today – instead we are left with a Budget deal which does very little to address a decade of cuts to Local Government’s core funding, and once again ring fenced pots of money for specific Scottish Government policies. Without flexible additional funding to our core Budget, our ability to help recover from COVID is severely eroded.”

“The essential services that Local Government deliver are the foundations for strong communities across Scotland – today’s announcement means that these foundations will come under even more pressure.

“This is not the deal we wanted – it is not a good deal for communities and serious financial challenges lie ahead for councils. Not least in relation to our ability to recognise the amazing effort of our workforce – where Scottish Government has not recognised the pressures such as pay being faced by Councils.

“Scottish Government has raised expectations yet further through their public sector pay policy – without any increase to Local Government’s core funding, a pay increase for our workforce will have to be funded from elsewhere. This will only lead to a reduction in everyday essential services that communities rely on.”

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: Another Edinburgh is Possible

Campaigners ‘mourn the death of public services’

THIS MORNING, before the City of Edinburgh Council meeting, Another Edinburgh is Possible campaigners held a socially distanced protest at 9am outside the City Chambers to mourn the death of public services, and make the case for a new beginning – properly funded local public services.

In advance of the protest campaigners projected the ‘Another Edinburgh is Possible’ message on City Council, Scottish Government and Westminster Government buildings around Edinburgh.

Why we are protesting

In its public consultation document (www.edinburgh.gov.uk/budget) Edinburgh City Council states that:

The Council has already identified over £80m of savings and funding in 2020/21, but has to find at least £5.1m more because of extra costs and lower income resulting from the pandemic. Over the next three years, the Council has identified £40m of savings, but needs to find at least a further £47.5m in savings or service cuts.

The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, through which the Council and the NHS administer integrated health and social care, has already agreed cuts of £8 million.

Since 2012/13, Edinburgh City Council budget cuts have amounted to £320 million. Year on year cuts – so called savings – have resulted in a hollowing out of jobs and services to Edinburgh residents.

The impact of a decade of cuts

These cuts have had a terrible effect on essential services. The most vulnerable, who have also been hit by cuts in social security benefits, have suffered most. Edinburgh has the lowest expenditure per capita on local services in Scotland.

Covid19 has added to an already bleak picture with increases in unemployment, child poverty and mental distress. The pandemic has shone a harsh light on the gaps in local services and underlined the importance of key workers and health, social care, housing and education.

Another Edinburgh is Possible

Another Edinburgh Is Possible brings together council workers, trade unionists and community activists around a common belief that the cuts need to stop; enough is enough. We argue for local public services that meet local needs. We call on councillors to unite with campaigners to argue the case for properly funded, democratically controlled local public services.

Contact email: edinburghjustrecovery@gmail.com

COSLA: Local government ‘essential to everday lives’

The Covid-19 pandemic has shown why, more than ever, Local Government is essential to our everyday lives, according to local government umbrella body COSLA.

COSLA also said that we are now at a crossroads and must decide the type of world we want to build as a response to the pandemic.

Councillor Steven Heddle COSLA Environment and Economy Spokesperson, said:  “The Covid-19 pandemic has shown why, more than ever, Local Government is essential to our everyday lives.

“The recently published Local Government Blueprint highlights that we are now at a crossroads and must decide the type of world we want to build as a response to the pandemic.

“Climate change and the degradation of natural environments across the world is a factor behind the emergence of new diseases like Covid-19.

“While the exact origins of the pandemic have yet to be discovered, what is not uncertain is the global public health and economic crisis which has resulted. The linkage between the environment, human health and wellbeing and the economy has rarely been clearer.”

Councillor Heddle continued:  “We live in a tightly knit and fragile world, so we have no choice but to meet these global challenges on our own home turf which is why Local Government has never been more important.

“In uncertain times like this I believe we must take strength from our civic roots and the local democratic tradition in Scotland. We have shown in the past that big change can start at the local level, but this requires a purposeful decision to invest locally and to trust in local decision making.

“The pandemic has highlighted how Local Government is not just about the delivery of vital services, but it is about the places we live and the lives we lead.

“Whether it is through tackling the inequalities so cruelly exposed by the pandemic, supporting businesses through extraordinary times, investing in our greener future or helping young people find employment, Local Government in Scotland is a positive driver of change locally and nationally.

“The Local Government Blueprint shows a way ahead which is both focused on the needs of our local communities but also on the big, global challenges which we all face. It’s a positive vision for the future we want to build together.”

LG-BlueprintDownload

COVID-19 and Communities: Community Hub Case Studies

New report from the Carnegie UK Trust

Over the past five months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Carnegie UK Trust has been undertaking a series of conversations with communities across the UK, exploring the changing relationship between local government, public services and communities.

Throughout these conversations, we’ve heard from several areas that community hubs were a critical part of the emergency response.

In many cases, these demonstrated strong leadership, creative practice and partnership working. The Trust believes that these hubs could have a longer-term role in recovery from the pandemic, joining the dots between people that require support and connecting them to a range of services to promote individual and community wellbeing.

Building on the learning from four areas, (North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, Lancaster and Scarborough), our new report offers examples of best practice, challenges, opportunities and learning for the future. We hope that these examples will inspire change.

North Ayrshire: A case study on kindness

On the same day, we are also releasing a report that tells the story of our two-year partnership with North Ayrshire Council.

This ‘case study on kindness’ shares the activities, achievements and learning about what it takes to embed kindness across a local authority area, and finishes with five priorities that we hope will feel relevant and urgent for local government and its partner organisations everywhere.

I do hope that you find these reports helpful.

To let us know your thoughts, please email Pippa@CarnegieUK.org or join the debate online by tagging @CarnegieUKTrust #COVIDConversations – we would be pleased to hear from you.

Best wishes

Sarah Davidson,

Chief Executive, Carnegie UK Trust

Mobilise against the cuts

The North Edinburgh and East Edinburgh Save Our Services campaigns are calling an online meeting on 10th September at 6.30pm.

The meeting will discuss how to mobilise opposition to the latest round of cuts in jobs and services. Edinburgh City Council meets on Thursday 17th September.

To join this event register in advance via this link

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0oceirrD0uGt0TO6s_SIKPshqmgVQVCeC4

and you will then be sent a link to the Zoom meeting.

It is time to end the cycle of cuts to vital local services in our city. Austerity, outsourcing and privatisation has been pushed down from Westminster via Holyrood and implemented by the City Council for too long. But we need a powerful campaign if we are to be successful.

Since 2012/13, Edinburgh City Council budget cuts have amounted to £320 million. Prior to Covid19 the estimate was that there would be further cuts of £87.3 million by 2023.

These cuts have had a terrible effect on essential services. The most vulnerable, who have also been hit by cuts in social security benefits, have suffered most. Edinburgh has the lowest expenditure per capita on local services in Scotland.

The City Council’s press releases fail to reflect the reality of life for many of Edinburgh’s citizens. Wrapped in the language of ‘savings’, ‘inclusion’, ‘progress’, ‘just recovery’ and sustainability, they accept that there is no alternative to an ideology that supports a relentless increase in inequality.

Covid19 has added to an already bleak picture with increases in unemployment, child poverty and mental distress. The pandemic has shone a harsh light on the gaps in local services and underlined the importance of key workers and health, social care, housing and education.

Edinburgh Council argues that falling revenues and increased costs as a result of Covid19 now mean that further cuts are required. The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, through which the Council and the NHS administer integrated health and social care, has already agreed cuts of £8 million.

At the Council meeting on September 17th the City Council will discuss further cuts.

NHS staff set to protest over pay this Saturday

My name is Claire McKenzie, I am a staff nurse working in the NHS, Scotland.  I love, love my job! It has taken me a long time to get here. 

I have always wanted to be a nurse from a very young age, but I didn’t go into nursing until I retrained in my 30’S.  My working career started when I was 16 as an office junior, living and working in Newcastle. 

When I was 19 I moved to Scotland to work on a farm as Farm Secretary after attending agricultural collage.  I have worked in various types of administrative roles, working up the ladder and my salary increased accordingly.

When I had my first child, I decided to retrain as a nurse, because I didn’t want to spend the next 40 years working in an office, regretting not fulfilling my dream of becoming a nurse.  I spent the next 4 years in higher education to gain my degree in Nursing.  I have worked up the banding levels and I am now at the top of my level, as are 47% of the nursing work force.

Working as a nurse is rewarding, but it can be punishing, both physically and mentally – I hear people comment: “you chose to become a nurse, why are you complaining?” I did choose this, but want to highlight that, in order to do my job, I need the support from other staff.

But these staff are non-existent as posts have not been filled – in Scotland, 5.6% of nursing and midwifery posts (3,607) remain vacant as per the figures provided in December 2019. 

Wards cannot afford to pay for agency staff (I would like to say at this point agency staff should not be demonised! They have their heads screwed on, knowing their worth and getting paid for it!) unless the ward is running dangerously low on nurses and clinical support staff.   

The Scottish Government’s Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act, scheduled to come into force towards the end of 2020, will place a duty on NHS and social care providers to make sure that, at all times, there are suitably qualified and competent staff working in the right numbers looking after the most vulnerable groups in our society. My question is, how?

As a work force, we are running at full throttle, doing a job of two being paid at 2010 rates but living in a world of 2020 expense.  As a work force, people are having to pick up extra hours, if you work on the bank you are taxed more because this is classed as luxury earnings – this extra money is not for luxury but for necessity! Where is the work life balance?   

When the government announced a pay rise for public sector works, I thought “Yay” recognition at last, only to be very disappointed.  Personally, I do not begrudge the pay rise announcement for others; they are entitled to it, I am however very embittered tha,t as a whole workforce, our efforts have been belittled – not by the public, as 77% support the NHS workers to get a pay rise. 

As stated, we as a workforce are being paid at 2010 rates, living in 2020 being expected to be able to survive paying for the basics.  That’s why as a workforce we are DEMANDING a pay rise, why would anybody take on further work but get paid for less? That’s right, we are the NHS! Enough is enough. 

#NHSworkersayno #NHSpay15

To highlight the disappointment, Nurses have rallied together, creating a Facebook group attracting over 70,000 members from all sectors of the NHS (without official support from the unions) and have organised demonstrations across the UK.

So far approximately 33 have been organised to coincide at 11am this Saturday (8 August 2020). 

The Edinburgh demonstration will take place outside the Scottish Parliament building in Holyrood.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/314519933024565?view=permalink&id=318609522615606

Happy birthday, NHS!

This weekend marks the 72nd anniversary of the NHS. Last night we lit up Scottish Government buildings in blue to mark the occasion. Join us in clapping to show our support for our staff across health and social care at 5pm today #NHSScot72

PM Boris Johnson said: This year has seen the NHS gallantly respond to the greatest challenge it has ever faced and rightly receive unprecedented support.

Week after week, we saw people take to their doorsteps, line the streets, lean precariously out of rainbow-bedecked windows to clap their hands and bang their saucepans to show their appreciation.

I am proud to be once again clapping for our heroic NHS staff, alongside Anne-Marie Plas who launched this inspirational initiative.

I am also celebrating today with staff from St Thomas’ Hospital who, quite simply, saved my life.

As we mark seventy-two years of the NHS, I want to say how thankful I am of this world leading institution.

As Prime Minister, I have given the NHS a £34 billion funding increase, the biggest in decades, and made sure it has every penny it needs to cope with coronavirus.

I’m immensely proud that the organisation built by Beveridge, Bevan, Willink, Godber, and so many others, has grown into the spritely seventy-two year old we see today.

And Royal approval:

Happy 72nd Bithday, NHS: you’ve never been more needed.

Letters: Thanks,NEN

Dear Editor
May I say the social importance of NEN keeping in contact with the community is so helpful. With the isolation being felt by so many having a negative effect.
When this awful plague is over the community must come together and Public Services are an absolute priority for all Councils everywhere, fully funded and protected.
Tony
Tony Delahoy 
(by email)

Fair pay for public sector workers?

Guaranteeing a fair deal for the public sector workforce and protecting lower-paid workers underlines the wellbeing focus of this year’s Scottish Budget, according to new Finance Secretary Kate Forbes – but local government trade union UNISON says care workers are being undervalued. 

Scottish Government policy decisions mean the starting salaries for staff in a range of public sector professions in Scotland are already higher than in England, including:
• a newly-recruited teacher will earn £26,697 in Scotland, compared to £24,373 in England
• a band 5 staff nurse will earn £24,670 in Scotland, compared to £24,214 in England
• a newly-recruited police officer will earn £26,037 in Scotland, compared to £20,880 – £24,177 in England

The 2020-21 Public Sector Pay Policy published alongside the Budget includes a range of measures to further support the public sector workforce:
• a guaranteed 3% pay uplift for public sector workers earning up to £80,000
• a cash uplift of £750 for public sector workers who earn £25,000 or less
• continuing the Scottish Government’s commitment to the real Living Wage, now set at £9.30 per hour
• limiting to £2,000 the basic pay increase for those earning £80,000 or more

Ms Forbes said: “Wellbeing and fairness are at the heart of this year’s Budget, and promoting the wellbeing of our public sector workers by protecting and increasing their pay is an important part of that.

“This pay policy responds to real-life circumstances, with measures to help us tackle inequalities by protecting the salaries of lower-paid employees. And of course investing in our hardworking public sector workforce will also help deliver top-class public services while supporting jobs and the wider economy.

“I am grateful for the engagement Ministers have had with the trades unions and others, and now hope Parliament will work with us to pass this Budget and reward our vital public sector workers.”

However Local government union UNISON says care workers are being treated unfairly and is campaigning to see better pay and conditions for these key public sector workers.

Christina McAnea, UNISON assistant general secretary, said: “For all the things that are wrong with the care system in this country, we have a workforce that are passionate and committed. They care desperately about the people they look after. That’s a fantastic place to start in trying to build a care system that works.”

But care workers are not treated fairly. Care is in crisis, thanks to a system that has been underfunded and ignored by governments for years. Care workers and the people that they look after are paying the price.

UNISON is campaigning for change and urges councils across the country to sign up to their Ethical Care Charter. The union is fighting to win:

  1. Decent jobs, including:
    • A real living wage
    • Full pay for sleep-in’s and travel time
    • Fair contracts, no zero hours
    • Enough time to care
    • A safe working environment
  2. Quality standards: A national framework for care, with pay and training linked to standards.
  3. Fair funding: We are building political alliances and public support to get the right solutions for care workers and care users.

Local government umbrella body COSLA says the Scottish Government draft budget falls far short of what it considers a fair settlement for the country’s councils. 

COSLA says the draft budget results in a £95m (£300m real terms) cut to revenue and £117m (£130m real terms) cut to capital budgets.  The impact of these cuts will continue to be felt.  This budget does not recognise the vital role Local Government plays in the economy across Scotland.

COSLA Environment and Economy Spokesperson Councillor Steven Heddle said:  “Councils campaigned strongly for an increase in funding so that we can continue to develop local economies that provide fair and accessible work opportunities for everyone.

“Regretfully, the Government has again ignored these warnings and failed to recognise the unique role councils play in growing local economies.

“We are the main employer in almost every local authority in Scotland providing a tenth of Scotland’s workforce. If any other part of the economy was facing the risks we are, the Government would step in.

“When councils have the money to invest in capital projects, the benefits are felt across communities – from training and apprenticeships to support for local supply chains – this year’s Capital Budget will mean these benefits will all be lost.

“Less core revenue funding for economic development support, planning and regulation will also hit communities hard.

“We are calling on the Government and the Parliament to address these concerns, listen to our asks and prevent the loss of essential council services which communities rely upon.”

Capital Coalition votes to slash services

Edinburgh’s ruling SNP-Labour ‘Capital Coalition’ voted though cuts of £35 million to public services last night – and agreed to raise Council Tax by almost 4.8%. Labour councillor Gordon Munro abstained.

And if you think the cuts will end after next year, think again: the Council set a three year budget and plans to make cuts of £87 million over the next three years.

Council leaders say the budget will protect vital services, but opposition parties argue that the scale of the cuts will damage communities.

SNP Cllr Adam McVey, Council Leader, said: “We’ve agreed a bold budget which protects the most vulnerable in society and guarantees a fairer quality of life for future generations. It prioritises those Council services which work to help those who are most in need of our support – protecting our young people, our communities and our planet in the process.

“In the face of growth and a global climate emergency, we’ve outlined plans for the biggest investment ever to be made into new, sustainable and affordable homes in Edinburgh.

“The people of Edinburgh have told us they want their city to be sustainable, to be fair and for frontline services to be protected. That is what we are delivering with a budget which invests in the services our city needs. I’d like to thank fellow Councillors for standing up for a plan which is fair and sustainable.”

Labour Cllr Cammy Day, Depute Leader, said: “The plans passed today support new schools, sustainability and the regeneration of this city and I’m pleased we’ve been able to – yet again – agree a balanced budget, despite the ongoing financial uncertainty we and all local authorities face.

“This forward-thinking approach will provide much greater certainty to residents, to workers and to partners right across the city and will help us tackle poverty in all its forms.

“Under today’s budget, this Council is committing to do all that we can with the resources we have to improve residents’ lives and protect those services which are vital to our most vulnerable citizens. This will be supported by the thousands of new, affordable homes we’ll help to build and the community regeneration we’ve pledged to deliver.

“For too long we’ve turned our back on our fantastic waterfronts and this budget plan will allow us to move forward with our plans to regenerate Granton, providing new homes and a fantastic community for people to work and visit.”

Far from moving forward, Lib Dem councillors Kevin Lang and Louise Young believe the budget is a backwards step.

Commenting last night, the brother and sister councillors for Almond ward said: “We are sorry to say the SNP’s Council budget was passed tonight. We argued strongly for our alternative which avoided the worst of the service cuts but the votes weren’t there.

This means:

❌ an end to all Council funding for community policing, putting dozens of officer posts at risk.
❌ removing all 130 teachers from our nurseries.
❌ a big cut to headteacher school budgets.
❌ slashing the funding for local sports and leisure centres.
❌ opening the door to library cuts.

“The SNP also refused to accept our fully costed plan to put more money into road and pavement repairs or into new park playground equipment.

“We always try to be optimistic but there’s no getting away from the fact this is a bad budget for our constituents.”

Earlier this week the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities warned that the Scottish Government’s Budget will hit vulnerable communities the hardest.

COSLA said the Government has not considered successive years of cuts, or rising inflation and demand and have therefore put council services at risk.

Councils have said they believe the budget will have a major impact on the Government’s ability to address the four priorities of inclusive growth, tackling child poverty, wellbeing and climate change, and puts Scottish Government commitments at risk if no further funding is found as part of the Budget Scrutiny process.

COSLA’s view is that taken on its own, the Scottish Government’s announcement of an additional £495m for councils is misleading to communities.

Councils are required to deliver an additional £590m worth of new Scottish Government policy commitments, resulting in a cut to council budgets of £95m. It is vital to note that this doesn’t account for inflation and therefore the real terms cut to the Local Government revenue budget is nearer £300m.

The draft capital budget is equally as devastating. Whilst £54m of new capital money has been announced this is negated by £171m worth of Scottish Government commitments. This leaves a £117m cut to core capital budgets of 17%. Again, if we include inflation the real terms cut to capital budgets is £130m.

This settlement does not address any of the restoration called for in light of many years of cuts.

Speaking ahead of an evidence session at the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Communities Committee on Wednesday, COSLA Resources Spokesperson Councillor Gail Macgregor said: “COSLA has campaigned hard in recent months for the Scottish Government to address falling Local Government budgets.

“We called for Scottish Government commitments to be funded, inflation to be accounted for and restoration to the budget to reflect successive years of cuts to Local Government. It is unfortunate that a sphere of government in this country has not been listened to. 

“This draft budget will impact on jobs, frontline services and Local Government’s ability to address inclusive economic growth, child poverty, wellbeing and climate change and does not address the growing demand most councils are facing in relation to services.”

COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison added: “Recent benchmarking statistics have shown that 10,000 FTE jobs have been lost in Local Government since 2010/11. The impact of this on communities is real and cannot continue. 

“We are calling on Scottish Government and the Parliament to address these concerns, listen to our asks and prevent the loss of essential council services which communities rely upon.

“Make no mistake, councils and the services which communities rely upon will be at risk as a result of this budget.”

Councillors voyed to raise Edinburgh’s Council Tax by 4.79%. The tax band levels for Edinburgh in 2020/21 will come into effect on 1 April 2020 and will be:

A – £892.39

B – £1,041.13

C – £1,189.86

D – £1,338.59

E – £1,758.76

F – £2,175.21

G – £2,621.41

H – £3,279.55