Joint statement from UNISON Scotland’s convenor Mark Ferguson and local government committee chair Susanne Gens:
We are aware of the Scottish government’s proposals for the future of local government in Scotland.
The proposals would represent a seismic shift from the current 32 councils to between six and ten regional authorities and 120 to 160 community authorities. This will have major implications for UNISON members working in local government and the communities they serve.
What is striking about the proposals is what they do not say. There is no meaningful detail on the local government workforce or the role of trade unions, despite the central role our members play in delivering public services.
There has been no consultation with UNISON on these proposals. A three-month period for reform on this scale is woefully insufficient. Reform must be done with workers, not to workers.
The Scottish government cannot credibly promise stronger local democracy while simultaneously cutting around 20,000 public service workers and slashing millions from budgets. New regional and community authorities will require investment, skilled staff and the resources to make them work. Major reductions in the workforce will ultimately leave communities with less, not more.
There is also a lack of detail on how these new structures would be funded. Real reform must be about strengthening public services, not just finding ways to spend less.
There is equally little detail on social care. UNISON believes the Scottish government must learn the lessons from its failed attempt to set up a National Care Service. Low pay is the single biggest barrier to fixing the care crisis. Without urgent investment in wages, staffing shortages will deepen, leaving vulnerable people in hospital beds for much longer than necessary. We must be clear that care must be driven by need, not profit, and any reform must address these issues rather than just moving responsibilities between different structures.
Public service workers understand how services work, where they could work better and what is needed to improve them. Their expertise is vital to reform.
If the Scottish government wants stronger communities, better local services and a stronger democratic voice, it must invest in the people that make them possible. You cannot build better public services by cutting the people that deliver them. Jobs must be protected, and reform must not undermine the local democracy that councils thrive on.
We are seeking meetings with decision-makers to ensure our members’ voices are heard and are central to any discussions about changes to local government. Meaningful reform requires meaningful engagement with the workforce and its trade unions.