Further Council re-organisation to achieve savings
If proposals are agreed by West Berkshire Council's Executive on 22 July, a further 20 job losses at the Council are to be confirmed to help meet savings targets, although current vacancies mean there will be up to eight redundancies. The posts had already been identified in March this year.
The job losses - which would save annual salary payments of £700,000 - include seven back-room staff from the Chief Executive's directorate, eight from libraries and arts and leisure, three from housing, and one each from highways, and from planning. The impact on front-line services will see some reduction in service at library enquiry desks, and a reduction in road safety speed checks.
West Berkshire Council Leader, Graham Jones, said: "We have known for several years that our finances are going to be increasingly tight, which is why we have been planning for year on year reductions.”
The job losses would come into effect at the end of the financial year, although where there are redundancies, those could be brought forward so redundancy costs can be offset by salary savings.
Further Council re-organisation to achieve savings
If proposals are agreed by West Berkshire Council's Executive on 22 July, a further 20 job losses at the Council are to be confirmed to help meet savings targets, although current vacancies mean there will be up to eight redundancies. The posts had already been identified in March this year.
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The job losses would come into effect at the end of the financial year, although where there are redundancies, those could be brought forward so redundancy costs can be offset by salary savings.
So it's going to take them over a year to get rid of the posts (from identification)?? ie they are going to waste the best part of £700k (only 3 months consultation is legal required (possibly less if only 20 staff)
Instaed of making many jobs redundant to employed staff, why dont councillors just agree that they will claim NO expenses, after all they wish to become councillors to support the local community. Some of these people claim more in expenses and attendance fees, than some salaried members of staff recieve on PAYE.
Instaed of making many jobs redundant to employed staff, why dont councillors just agree that they will claim NO expenses, after all they wish to become councillors to support the local community. Some of these people claim more in expenses and attendance fees, than some salaried members of staff recieve on PAYE.
Think true expenses are fair, but shocked to find out Lords get £300 a day attendance money.
Slightly off piste as a reply, however I thought you would like this re council employees.
This is directly from the gas workers in Bartholomew St south.
They have been delayed by 1 and a 1/2 days due to West Berks unable to make a decision re the road works which the council have agreed to and sanctioned. Yesterday 5 WBC emplyees (1 from each department effected) came to view the works, they stopped the works for 3 hours whilst they tried to make a decision about how to stop traffic coming round the corner at Jones Robinson which is a blind corner and traffic can come arround very fast. These works have been in the planning for months. The shops have known for months they were going to happen, WBC have agreed them, yet they still stop them as they still have not made their collective minds up about traffic management. The guy's on the job are now saying that WBC are the worst council they have come accross re decision making. Previously they thought Abingdon was the worst. So if you see the workmen chatting and smoking it's not because they are lazy, it's just they are waiting for WBC to make a decision.
I am Spartacus says "A bloke in the street carrying a shovel says the council doesn't know it's arrse from it's elbow" No doubt I am Spartacus also listens in to conversations in the pub and believes every one he hears....
My understanding is that the shops and WBC knew the gas works are coming in. Trouble is, that bloke carrying the shovel you were talking to.... he's turned up at least a week ahead of programmed work. They aren't meant to be on site until next week to do preparatory work.
If you have a plan, you should stick to it, NOT just bang on 'ahead of schedule' when there are other parties involved.
The guy's on the job are now saying that WBC are the worst council they have come accross re decision making. Previously they thought Abingdon was the worst. So if you see the workmen chatting and smoking it's not because they are lazy, it's just they are waiting for WBC to make a decision.
It's the management of Southern Gas who seem to have made a poor decision. And let's hope those workmen can control their smoking while working on the gas mains eh?
My understanding is that the shops and WBC knew the gas works are coming in. Trouble is, that bloke carrying the shovel you were talking to.... he's turned up at least a week ahead of programmed work. They aren't meant to be on site until next week to do preparatory work.
So WBC had not planned the traffic control measures a week ahead of time. What were they going to do, get all the departments together when the gas board turned up? Oh... sorry, that's what they did.
But seriously, there is no way that these people would turn up a week ahead of programme. It's obviously slipped and no one told them (assuming you aren't user23 in disguise). Next you'll be telling us that WBC don't send confidential information to the wrong people.
So WBC had not planned the traffic control measures a week ahead of time. What were they going to do, get all the departments together when the gas board turned up? Oh... sorry, that's what they did.
There's obviously a timetable so that there aren't works on too many roads at the same time.
The decision must have been either dig up the road early and spark more "Traffic Chaos" headlines or proceed with the schedule agreed months before and face "Council Blocks Roadworks" headlines.
If what you say is correct, I say well done for standing for the people of Newbury and not giving in to big business who were looking to pull a fast one at the expense of local residents and the road network.
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