MSP calls meeting over single status 'shambles'

Hamish Hutchinson • Published 16 Jun 2010 13:01 5 Comments

OCHIL SNP MSP Keith Brown has slammed Clackmannanshire Council for failing to act quickly enough - claiming around half of its employees face further delays in the outcome of single status process.

Clackmannanshire is the last local authority in Scotland to implement single status and Mr Brown believes it has been marked by controversy as many staff feel that the process has been driven by the need to make cuts due to council's £9 million budget deficit.

Mr Brown said the process descended into further shambles more recently when he was contacted by a group of employees who, despite having their reviews signed off by their head of service in March, have been told that they will have to wait until at least August, possibly September, before they will be informed of the outcome.

He said, "I am disappointed that Councillor Janet Cadenhead has not agreed to meet with staff to listen to and address their concerns.

"I am still being contacted on a weekly basis by constituents who are faced with significant wage cuts are facing further lengthy delays in their appeal process. 

"It is clear that the council are not addressing their employees concerns internally which is why I have agreed to do what Councillor Cadenhead will not do and hold a public meeting for everyone who wants to get involved.

"In a recent letter, the council have confirmed that around 50 per cent of employees have requested reviews - this is more than three times the rate of other local authorities which is indicative that something serious has gone wrong.

"I sincerely hope that Councillor Cadenhead will come along to the meeting I have arranged in Alloa Town Hall on 28 June and finally address staff concerns."

However, the Labour leader said that whilst she recognised there were concerns, the issue of Single Status was one to be dealt with by Clackmannanshire itself and not the Scottish Government.

Councillor Cadenhead said, "Single Status is the biggest change in employment terms in the council's history. It was essential that it was implemented to address historic pay inequalities between groups of male and female workers.

"While the overall result of single status is an increase in the council paybill of three per cent, we recognise that reductions are a real concern for the people affected.

"We are committed to working with them and their managers to develop skills and roles wherever possible to remove or minimise any long term loss.

"There is also an informal review process and a formal appeal process open to employees who feel that they have not been graded appropriately.

"The informal review process is underway. It has been delayed by various issues, including the flight disruptions earlier this year. The results of the review process will be issued to staff before the end of August.

"This is a matter for the council, not the Scottish Government, and we are dealing with it as employers."

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• 

  Angry Bystander
  Unregistered User
  Jun 18, 09:54
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  yet again this erroneous figure of 3%. This is solely because those who will be receiving dramatic cuts in their salaries are protected for a short period. And when the protection has expired? What are the projected savings thereafter?
  
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• 

  Grace
  Unregistered User
  Jun 28, 18:34
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  "This is a matter for the council, not the Scottish Government, and we are dealing with it as employers."
  
  Presumably Keith Brown is becoming involved simply to represent the people who elected him? Which is more than can be said for the labour lot of Cadenhead et-al, who caused the mess in the first place. Brown should be congratulated on his stance in this matter, not pilloried by an politically bereft local politician and her sidekick chief executive.
  
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• 

  Alistair
  Unregistered User
  Jun 28, 18:41
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  I read in your sister paper the dunfermline press that fife councillors are getting free lunches and so on. do clax councillors get the same?
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  angrybystander
  Unregistered User
  Jul 6, 18:32
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  How can our msp comment on any financial wrong doing when he "took"/"accepted" £15,000 in severence pay after standing down as a councillor.! I remember him saying that he would give it to charity! where is the money Mr. Brown. That would have paid for an admin assitant.. at least!
  
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• 

  Jason M
  Unregistered User
  Jul 23, 03:31
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  Didn't Keith Brown say in this very newspaper a few months ago that he had "conclusive proof" of the shenanigans behind the scenes at Clackmannanshire Council? So Mr Brown, where's this "conclusive proof"? Are you going to tell the public about it or did it actually exist? I see Scottish Parliament elections next May, so it would appear does Mr Brown.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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