DEVASTATED disabled workers are facing redundancy from a council-run social enterprise – the only job many of them have had for 20 years.

Twelve staff – all living with disabilities – are facing the axe from the Swindon Borough Council-managed Enterprise Works after the authority decided two departments at the timber products site were no longer financially viable.

Now their families fear that this decision will have an adverse effect on their physical and mental health as for some this work was their only source of social interaction and the only reason for leaving the house.

And there are concerns about how easy it will be for those facing redundancy to find jobs afterwards given their disabilities and the fact that many of them are only a few years away from retirement.

Terry Davis’ daughter Christine Davis, 44, has worked for Enterprise Works for 25 years.

She is one of the disabled employees who have been entered into redundancy consultation and he is already seeing signs that the prospect of unemployment is affecting her.

“Christine has been furloughed since the pandemic began and she was looking forward to getting back to work. It was her social life and the only thing keeping her going was getting back. We thought that’s what she was being called in to discuss – her return to work.

“But when we discovered it was to discuss her being made redundant, she has started staying in her bedroom and won’t come out. I don’t see how she has any prospects of getting another job.”

That sentiment is shared by Steven Wiltshire, whose brother Kevin, 62, has worked at Enterprise Works for 20 years.

“He’s a virtual recluse in the house now. Part of his autism is that he’s totally unmotivated to do anything, but he loved going to work.

"He’s got one friend there that he speaks to on the phone when at home. That is his only social outlet outside of the immediate family.

“The chances of him getting a job so close to retirement at the age he is and with the disabilities that he has are not great. It’s going to impact on families by taking away the degree of independence they created.”

The council has been criticised over the redundancy process itself.

Mr Davis was called into a meeting with Christine only to discover that the manager and HR representative, as well as the union rep, were all participating through virtual conference screens.

He questioned why he had to bring Christine all the way in when he could’ve attended the meeting with her from home.

And he says there were a number of questions he and others needed answers to that the council did not have. This led to calls for the process to be paused.

Unison union rep Nathan Aljoe, who is representing several of the employees, during the process, echoed the thoughts of both Mr Davis and Mr Wiltshire.

“In terms of how the consultations have been handled, there has been very little consideration towards the group of people who were put at risk.

"Or of the immediate emotional impact, or, consequently, the longer-term emotional impact and viability to sustain themselves financially without employment

“There are flaws in the process, and I do believe that those flaws that we’ve recognised have been mentioned to the council and the consultation process has been halted so that the council can bring greater considerations and plans for support.”

The council has arranged for three months of support for the workers affected, but they are yet to be contacted.

Councillor Brian Ford, the council's cabinet member for adults and health, has set out why the authority decided to start the consultations.

He said: “Enterprise Works, unfortunately, runs at a loss that has increased substantially in recent years, which is why we took the difficult decision to enter into a consultation period with a number of staff on potential redundancies.

“By looking at these difficult changes we are seeking to put the service on a more sustainable financial footing, so it is able to continue providing local employment and services to the community.

Mr Ford also addressed concerns over the consultation.

“The council has received a number of concerns from employees and their representatives in relation to the current consultation process and we have been in contact with them to pause the current consultation.

"The council will now consider a full response to the concerns raised.”