Councillors asked to put faith in merged services plan
COUNCILLORS have been asked to take a leap of faith and approve plans to merge council services despite concerns the scheme is solely led by savings and could put members of the public at risk.
While councillors said they do not have a problem with looking to make services more efficient, they were worried job losses in key departments could mean the remaining staff will struggle to carry out their workload.
The proposed merger of regulatory services includes licensing as well as other areas such as trading standards and environmental health.
It forms part of the Worcestershire Enhanced Two Tier (Wett) programme and could save £1.26 million across all participating councils. However, it could also mean up to 12 people losing their jobs, leaving about eight posts intact to check on matters such as safety of taxis and food hygiene at restaurants.
At Worcester City Council’s scrutiny meeting, senior officers and council leaders insisted fewer staff would not mean a reduced level of service, but members were not convinced, as information about how that would be possible has not yet been put in writing.
Alan Stuttard, acting head of paid service, said that if Worcester City Council, which already needs to make £4.5 million savings by 2014, did not go ahead with the mergers proposed in the Wett programme, it would result in more “significant budget reductions”.
As a result, Councillor Jo Hodges said: “Let’s be honest, that’s why we’re doing this and all this talk about service improvement is not really relevant.”
Coun Paul Denham said he was particularly concerned about the potential reduced level of enforcement action being taken on Worcester’s taxi drivers, as there would theoretically only be one person carrying out the work currently done by four people.
He said: “I’m mystified how the travelling public are going to be safer.”
However, Mike Harrison, head of cleaner and greener, said: “The level of enforcement will be maintained at the same level it is now. That is the assurance we are giving to everybody at this point.”
Tory council leader Councillor Simon Geraghty said: “Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith.”
A notice of motion calling on the city council to delay making its mind up on whether to share regulatory services until more information is available was rejected at last week’s licensing meeting at the Guildhall.
It will now be discussed by cabinet before it is sent to full council.
Your Worcester News was the only member of the media at this meeting
source:
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/487 ... ices_plan/
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