As loyal and devoted workers stood in solemn protest outside the Somerset Council meeting held at the Somerset County Cricket Ground calling for councillors to ‘save our jobs’ and ‘save our services’ the ruling Liberal Democrats voted through a massive 555 job bloodbath as they tried to deal with a £66 Million gap in their budget. This 11% reduction in the workforce is the latest twist in the disastrous 2 year ‘work in progress’ that is Local Government Re-organisation and the creation of the Unitary Council ushered in by the Conservatives, just before they lost control of the Council. And the Government. And their last Somerset district (Sedgemoor). Now the Liberal Democrats have finished off the job. But they’re still not out of trouble.
Somerset Council is facing a continuous and seemingly never ending funding shortfall which will carry forward into the next financial year despite the original Tory plans for unitary claiming it would see £18m savings. Voting through the cuts Somerset Council leader Bill Revans said the cuts were “heartbreaking” but tried to put a positive spin on things claimed that the restructuring will deliver “a radically different way of working as a council, operating with fewer staff, whilst increasing our influence and impact”. The report to Council added that the changes will “provide the foundations for achieving long term financial sustainability and delivering positive change and better outcomes for the people, place and communities of Somerset”.
A Sad Day filled with uncertainty
Protesting Union workers were not convinced saying it was a ‘sad day’ filled with ‘uncertainty, job cuts and a reduction in public services’ . A Unison spokesperson said there was ‘consultation, but a lack of detail’ there was ‘no costed business case post restructure’ and ‘no capacity to take on work of colleagues who are made redundant”. They called on the council to pause the restructure programme until ‘robust transformation solutions are developed’.
Labour group leader Cllr Leigh Redman (Bridgwater North & Central) spoke at the meeting saying “I know why we are at this point and understand the need for the restructure. I am not alone in wanting to recognise the hard work that has gone into this paper and the conscientious way our officers have worked. All of this does not make it right.I won’t regurgitate the past, we need to look at the future. I have not made a secret of my concern that the service we provide to the residents of Somerset is falling short and will, because of this restructure fall further. We are sacrificing staff that have vast amounts of knowledge and experience.”
Cllr Redman continued “I want to try and find some positives in our current position.” There was a long pause then he continued “I am sorry, I can’t, I have said it before, but, I believe we are out of control now, I appreciate the hard work that has gone into getting us here, but because of the size of the workload, and being forced into a shortened process, the size of staffing cuts and speed of this restructure will mean that we won’t know the full impact, until it’s too late, making the council fit the financial position we find ourself, is going to be a bad thing.The council that will be left, because of this proposal will mean we will fail residents, my hope is that the failures won’t be terminal. We have heard many concerns, many reassurances, today is a bad day for Somerset council. “
‘What else can we do?’
The decision was down to the Lib Dems to take the decision as all opposition parties voted against or abstained and went through it did.
Bridgwater Town Council Leader Cllr Brian Smedley, part of the opposition Labour group on the County Unitary said “The Lib Dems say they have no choice and ask ‘well what would YOU do!? I say, I will do what we’re doing and saving what jobs and services we can at Town level. We have had to raise our precept slightly to do that and when people finally get their council tax bills through next month they’ll see that 88% of it is going to County which is in freefall , cutting services, sacking people and selling off the family silver. In Bridgwater, and in other towns, we’re making the choice with our 12% to save jobs and services where we can. The Tories -who are 100% to blame for getting us in this position, are trying to switch the blame , and doing a good job so far, but when the bills come through people will understand where the cuts are falling and where the jobs and services are actually being saved.”