Extra 50 jobs to go at council

9:00am Monday 21st January 2013 in News

Council leader Rod Bluh Council leader Rod Bluh

AN EXTRA 50 posts are set to go at Swindon Council as the authority strives to find about £4m additional savings to close an estimated £16m budget gap for 2013/14, the Adver can reveal.

Before Christmas, the Conservative cabinet revealed in its draft budget proposals to deal with £4.7m in assumed reduced funding, £3.5m in inflation and £7.9m of other cost pressures, including increased demand for services, particularly caring services.

The document outlines £13.2m worth of savings, including just over £2m, year-on-year, from the deletion of 70 council posts before April, although about half of these are already vacant due to a recruitment freeze of non-essential posts.

To plug the £16m gap, the council still needed to identify £3m of extra savings – and this later increased to £4m due to lower-than-expected Government funding.

Now Rod Bluh, the council leader, has revealed that an estimated £1m of these extra savings are proposed to come from slashing another 70 council jobs, although he says the headcount could increase as the final proposed budget is put together.

Coun Bluh said: “There were the original 70. We now think the figure is up to 120 posts of which about 50 are vacant. So there are about 70 people who are in the frame but that’s not to say that’s the end of it. There could be some changes over the next few days because there’s work ongoing.”

He said the council was coping by redesigning services but the budget pressures were starting to impact the frontline, adding: “All of these will have an impact. We aren’t saying there’s no impact to what we’re doing. We’re doing our level best to minimise the impact of what we’re doing by reorganising.”

Details of which service areas would be affected by job losses, and the remaining proposed savings to close the £4m gap, will be published later this month in the papers for cabinet on February 6.

Letters have been sent to staff in the first 70 threatened posts and the other 50 will be consulted soon.

Coun Jim Grant, Labour group leader, said: “It is very concerning that the Conservative administration will be making more job losses in order to close the council’s budget gap.

“What I’d say to the leader of the council is avoid frontline job cuts.

“To do this, we may need to look again at senior management and we can definitely cut a big chunk of the £1.8m the council spends on consultants.”

Bob Cretchley, secretary of the Swindon Unison branch, said there were alternative savings to sacking staff but every service had been hit recently, adding that there seemed “endless” money available for work fitting into the administration’s agenda, such as the housing ballot.

He said: “It’s restructuring, after restructuring, after restructuring.”

Comments(23)

aturner289 says...
10:01am Mon 21 Jan 13

I am glad to hear this as when i have spoken to anyone at SBC they have been no help what so ever, clueless and rude.

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Bimbosforjustice says...
10:06am Mon 21 Jan 13

aturner289 wrote:
I am glad to hear this as when i have spoken to anyone at SBC they have been no help what so ever, clueless and rude.
I expect aturner289 they were rude because of your stupidity.

I think senior managers should be culled espcially those on £50k plus. We dont need these people in times like this.

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Localboy86 says...
10:27am Mon 21 Jan 13

Most of the people you speak to when talking to the council are really working for capita.

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Tim Newroman says...
10:28am Mon 21 Jan 13

While this is undoubtedly bad news for anyone who loses their job, the reality is that this was always going to happen at some point.

The Labour government spent 13 years building up around 800,000 civil service jobs, many in local councils such as Swindon, and these were - to use the civil service's own terminology - 'non-essential' posts.

Now that the delirious spending spree is over and we realise that we not only have no money but are still having to borrow it at record levels, these jobs were invetiably going to have to go.

Quite why the taxpayer has ever had to pay for 'non-essential' posts, I'm not quite sure. How many private companies employ staff they don't actually need?

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A.Baron-Cohen says...
10:33am Mon 21 Jan 13

In 2013, we are not closer to ending a 5 years Depression........if the UK was patient, I would start asking for a new treatment, medicine......

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The Other one says...
11:19am Mon 21 Jan 13

Would have been nice if they told the staff rather than them having to reading it in the local rag. So much for transparency and stronger together.

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The Other one says...
11:36am Mon 21 Jan 13

Nice that staff are being made redundant but they can find the £2500 for the new responsibilities for the councillor with pcc monitoring duties, so much for we are in this together. Staff are having to take on more responsibilities with no extra pay.
Looks like they are looking after themselves. Im alright Jack mentality.

So Mr Bluh why is this?

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dglaholm says...
11:48am Mon 21 Jan 13

Bob Cretchly says ''said there were alternative savings to sacking staff''.
Would be nice to see his suggestions...

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Davey Gravey says...
12:07pm Mon 21 Jan 13

If jobs have to go then highly paid pen pushers should go. No doubt it will be frontline staff that get the boot though.

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The Real Librarian says...
12:12pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Tim Newroman wrote:
While this is undoubtedly bad news for anyone who loses their job, the reality is that this was always going to happen at some point. The Labour government spent 13 years building up around 800,000 civil service jobs, many in local councils such as Swindon, and these were - to use the civil service's own terminology - 'non-essential' posts. Now that the delirious spending spree is over and we realise that we not only have no money but are still having to borrow it at record levels, these jobs were invetiably going to have to go. Quite why the taxpayer has ever had to pay for 'non-essential' posts, I'm not quite sure. How many private companies employ staff they don't actually need?
Believe me, the "non-essential," posts you speak of are long gone.

The people who are goign to lose their jobs do real and valuable work.

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Old Town says...
12:35pm Mon 21 Jan 13

The Other one wrote:
Nice that staff are being made redundant but they can find the £2500 for the new responsibilities for the councillor with pcc monitoring duties, so much for we are in this together. Staff are having to take on more responsibilities with no extra pay.
Looks like they are looking after themselves. Im alright Jack mentality.

So Mr Bluh why is this?
Oh no - we are in a recession and staff have to take on more responsibility with no extra pay ?!?!?

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD !!!!

My goodness, this attitude just about sums up everything that is wrong with the Public Sector !

In every part of the private sector, we are all having to do more for less (or if you are very lucky, the same).

It's about time the Public Sector people started living in the real world and understood that nothing is for nothing.....

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house on the hill says...
1:44pm Mon 21 Jan 13

"""Localboy86 says...
10:27am Mon 21 Jan 13

Most of the people you speak to when talking to the council are really working for capita.”"""

Very valid point Localboy and more than a few of them dont even work in Swindon, so a fair chunk of our money is going to help the economies of other towns and cities where they work.

It isnt just the senior managers, it is middle and junior managers too, there are hundreds of them on around £35-40k who dont seem to add any sort of value to the process, they just tick endless boxes, sit in meetings and check up the person below them and so on and so on.

I have to agree with Old Town, as sad as it is when anyone loses their job, all that is happening is that SBC are going through downsizing and restructuring and trying to be more efficient that the private sector went through 15-20 years ago so actually they have been very lucky it didnt happen sooner.

Clearly the Real Librarian works for the council. All I will say to you is that your definition of "non essential" is very different to that of the private sector and having worked in both, many private companies wouldnt survive if they had the number of staff for each process that you do. There are still way to many meetings and perfomance managers who sit there comparing Swindon with other towns that in reality bear almost no resemblence to our town, so that is a complete waste of time.

Good they are looking to cut down on the "consultants" and getting managers to do what they are actually already paid to do. next it should be the "partners" who bleed us dry and provide the very minimum service they can get away with to ensure their bonuses. Interesting that all the employment agencies in town will tell you having SBC on your CV is more of a hindrance that a help!

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Always Grumpy says...
3:26pm Mon 21 Jan 13

I trust all the council workers who spend all their time on union business will be given the push?

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Tim Newroman says...
4:25pm Mon 21 Jan 13

A.Baron-Cohen wrote:
In 2013, we are not closer to ending a 5 years Depression........if the UK was patient, I would start asking for a new treatment, medicine......
Absolutely. Unfortunately, benefit dependence has reached the critical mass. 53% of the population now takes from the State more than they contribute.

The economy has nowhere to go. It can never improve while the Income Tax revenue has to be supplemented by c.£70 Billion simply to pay the nation's welfare bill.

Worthwhile benefit cuts won't be made as it's now electoral suicide for any party that might even think about it.

And that's before the Romanians and Bulgarians arrive at the end of this year...

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A.Baron-Cohen says...
4:59pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Tim Newroman wrote:
A.Baron-Cohen wrote:
In 2013, we are not closer to ending a 5 years Depression........if the UK was patient, I would start asking for a new treatment, medicine......
Absolutely. Unfortunately, benefit dependence has reached the critical mass. 53% of the population now takes from the State more than they contribute.

The economy has nowhere to go. It can never improve while the Income Tax revenue has to be supplemented by c.£70 Billion simply to pay the nation's welfare bill.

Worthwhile benefit cuts won't be made as it's now electoral suicide for any party that might even think about it.

And that's before the Romanians and Bulgarians arrive at the end of this year...
Solving the current crisis by cutting National spending is only half the solution, we need to encourage spending and investment.
I am not an economist but surely it doesn't make sense to tax people twice income tax and sales tax, would it not be simplier to increase sales tax to 30% and get rid of income tax.....reducing the number of civil servants servicing its collection and private payroll red tape.

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roberto5 says...
5:20pm Mon 21 Jan 13

house on the hill wrote:
"""Localboy86 says...
10:27am Mon 21 Jan 13

Most of the people you speak to when talking to the council are really working for capita.”"""

Very valid point Localboy and more than a few of them dont even work in Swindon, so a fair chunk of our money is going to help the economies of other towns and cities where they work.

It isnt just the senior managers, it is middle and junior managers too, there are hundreds of them on around £35-40k who dont seem to add any sort of value to the process, they just tick endless boxes, sit in meetings and check up the person below them and so on and so on.

I have to agree with Old Town, as sad as it is when anyone loses their job, all that is happening is that SBC are going through downsizing and restructuring and trying to be more efficient that the private sector went through 15-20 years ago so actually they have been very lucky it didnt happen sooner.

Clearly the Real Librarian works for the council. All I will say to you is that your definition of "non essential" is very different to that of the private sector and having worked in both, many private companies wouldnt survive if they had the number of staff for each process that you do. There are still way to many meetings and perfomance managers who sit there comparing Swindon with other towns that in reality bear almost no resemblence to our town, so that is a complete waste of time.

Good they are looking to cut down on the "consultants" and getting managers to do what they are actually already paid to do. next it should be the "partners" who bleed us dry and provide the very minimum service they can get away with to ensure their bonuses. Interesting that all the employment agencies in town will tell you having SBC on your CV is more of a hindrance that a help!
Your exactly right about your point about middle and junior managers, I know for a fact that there is one middle manager who currently works for the council who just manages 2 full time staff and no one else whatsoever, and the two staff in question both have master degrees, they are more qualified than the manager! Who is probably earning around the £35k mark. Do you really need a manager to manage 2 full time staff?!, when the manager in question doesn't help at all these two staff, and is almost non existence.

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faatmaan says...
5:43pm Mon 21 Jan 13

they could save money by reviewing many of the restrictive practices in place, one springs to mind immediately, is where they pay certain staff triple time for working bank holidays, another is culling the shirkers who consider taking many days sick absence above their annual leave entitlement as a perk.

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roberto5 says...
6:07pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Why is Lydiard Park still a 100% free when you have to pay for any other council service?

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TinkeyWinkey says...
6:28pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Localboy86 says...
10:27am Mon 21 Jan 13

Most of the people you speak to when talking to the council are really working for capita


maybe they are but I for one would much rather speak to someone from Capita than spend my time ringing numbers for SBC/SCS staff that go straight to voicemail!!!


One SBC worker seems to have had her phone on voicemail for weeks & weeks.

So if the only voice I can get is a capita one, so be it

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Tim Newroman says...
7:08pm Mon 21 Jan 13


I am not an economist but surely it doesn't make sense to tax people twice income tax and sales tax, would it not be simplier to increase sales tax to 30% and get rid of income tax.....reducing the number of civil servants servicing its collection and private payroll red tape.


It would be easier, yes, but it would also mean the poorest people would immediately fall into a 30% tax bracket on all their earnings (as the poorest in society generally spend every penny they have).

Income tax is actually very easy to collect, mainly because - as with VAT (aka, Sales Tax) - it's mainly private businesses that do the sums and collect it.

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The Other one says...
8:04am Tue 22 Jan 13

old town says , before coomenting your tory trash read what I pointed out that staff are taking on extra responsibilities at no extra pay. so why can't the pcc monitor do the same. Instead of receiving an additional £2500 for extra responsibilities..
I suppose that is ok as your comments always seem to have the im alright jack attitude. You probably voted this bunch in.What are your thought on the Wifi or shall we move on from the £500,000 that was wasted. Typical tory me me me me.

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candid friend says...
9:24am Tue 22 Jan 13

Is this Bob Cretchley still being paid by the Council to do no work,just stir up trouble. I understood that the sort of post he had had been abolished?
When Labour were in control he made a point of opposing any proposals by management to streamline the organisation.
A stance that is now causing the present administration to make deeper cuts than would be necessary, had there not been a union veto on change.
Of course, the aggressive and dim leadership that Labour had at the time always did what he said. We can see the consequences now.

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itsamess3 says...
5:48pm Tue 22 Jan 13

Perhaps if agency staff and consultants who charge exhorbitant rates were not used savings would be made.
Long gone are the days when we had good officers and staff that resolved problems fairly. The modern council just sends its customers around in circles as the right hand rarely knows what the left hand is doing.

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