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Workers’ anger after staff move
County Hall
Angry civil servants have hit out at plans to relocate them more than 15 miles away from their city centre base.
Staff who work in the county council’s human resources and payroll departments at County Hall in Preston, have been told they will be moved to Greetby Buildings, in Derby Street, Ormskirk.
The move will affect around 100 staff who said they have been offered 15p per mile fuel expenses or their train fares paid for one year.
But county council staff told the Evening Post they were promised no such move would be made when the running of the human resources department was taken over by One Connect Ltd, a joint venture between BT and the council.
One worker who did not wish to be named, said: “All the staff are to be relocated, it is the HR and payroll services which are based at County Hall.
“There is uproar because lots of people live outside Preston in places like Blackpool or Lancaster.
“It is going to be more than 100 staff.
“When we had a meeting with Phil Halsall last year about the merger (between Lancashire County Council and One Connect), we asked if there would be any movements, he said he would not move the staff based at County Hall. Morale is very low.”
The worker added staff had consulted unions and they were prepared to fight the move.
Elaine Cotterell, who is branch secretary for Lancashire Unison, said: “We have raised very serious concerns.
“There has been no equality impact assessment being presented and we have said there is no business case to transfer the staff to Ormskirk, it is not the most accessible to get to.
“These are generally low-paid women staff who work part-time, so there will be an impact on child care commitments and there is an impact on transport costs.”
One Connect took over the running of the county Council’s payroll, IT support and customer services departments from the council in a 10-year deal last May.
The chief executive Phil Halsall claimed the move would save taxpayers £10m a year and create significant numbers of new job opportunities.
According to One Connect’s website the venture is 60% owned by BT with 40% ownership by Lancashire County Council whose staff are ‘seconded’ to the private firm.
It employs 800 staff from BT and the county council.
Despite repeated requests for a response both Lancashire County Council and One Connect Ltd, did not comment.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Comments
There are 77 comments to this article
Page 1 of 6
lancashirelass76
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 10:50 PMBear in mind that local government staff have had a pay freeze in recent years and quite a few of them have lost out under equal pay reviews too.
Woodsmann
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 07:40 AMWhat a stupid idea. No doubt the council will soon be obliged to settle lots of constructive dismissal claims from workers who are effectively being forced out of their jobs by this ill thought out move. No prizes for guessing who'll ultimately pay - it certainly won't be the councillors who approved this or the companies profiting yet again from the public sector. Where is the electoral mandate from the people of Lancashire for this idiocy? (Note to the LEP - please don't use terms you don't understand: these people are local government officers not civil servants: " In the United Kingdom, for instance, only Crown employees are referred to as civil servants, county or city employees are not." http:en.wikipedia.orgwikiCivil_service)
stan laurel
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 03:20 AMi also think that people should stop berating local govt staff for doing their job. If you needed, and were offered a job at LCC that suited your skill-set, would you turn it down? -- People think that its an easy life -- i can guarantee that it's anything but! - when i worked there a few years ago; efficiency cuts, performance targets and role reviews were the norm -- morale was terrible and private sector pay was at least 10% higher... I didnt stay, but many did, and everyone in the county would certainly feel an effect if you didn't have the multi-layer support that the county council provides. --- Accept that these people do a duty, for you, and do it (in most cases) well!
stan laurel
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 02:59 AMi think the very fact that Goodwin has been stripped of his title says lots about those responsible for the financial meltdown - not only locally, but globally. Obviously he is not the main reason, but when you multiply these bankers, playing blackjack with the world economy, then there isnt much a single government can do to stop it...
brookss4
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 12:45 AM# you may save lives KLO but you do so at the public expense. Perhaps my mum could do a better job given the subsidised life you have had. Hands as smooth as a babies bum.
brookss4
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 12:44 AM#oh I posted a few comments that seem to have got lost in the internet, perhaps for the best.
grumpypotter
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 09:54 PMKLO: This blog is about local employees being told to relocate their jobs19 miles south of their current employment location. Like it or lump it. This is not about your one man crusade against the labour party. Reserve you views to yourself and other more relevant blogs. If you must criticise someone, try the Tory leaders of LCC who were sold down the money saving potential route by OCL.
long live speed limits
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 08:18 PMA question to all you Public Sector bashers - WHO got this country into this mess? Was it the 'run to provide a service' public sector? - no. Was it the 'run to make huge profits private sector? YES! Your precious private sector screwed the country due to it's search for greed. Don't insult publc workers - target the villains - the private sector bosses.
Keep Labour Out
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:37 PMGrow up old chap. My job gives back plenty as I am saving lives and making people better. You really are betond redemption insulting hard-working people, you are scum.
brookss4
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:30 PMI take no pleasure at all in hard working people losing there jobs, I am making a point to you, because of your comments below about these council workers effectively being made redundant due to reloaction. Its amazing how easy it is to be shown when you are a civil servant how unimportant to the economy your job is. Glass houses stones, think of a phrase.
Keep Labour Out
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:22 PMI would be on the dole, there is plenty of work in the private sector in my field. You are a very selfish and uncaring person as you seem to get pleasure at the thought of hard-working people being made redundant all you can prove some stupid point. Grow up.
brookss4
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:20 PMJust think when you say reckless spending that means peoples jobs, as things are panning out with George Osbourne, you sack a civil servant they end up on the dole. Please tell me if you was made redundant what alternates would you have if the private sector wont take you on.
brookss4
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:18 PMBut to say it is reckless you have to have an alternate course of action. Yes their spending plans resulted in the deficit, but this was down to one mistake, the belief of growth, but not even Cameron saw this coming (or he wouldnt have committed the spending plans in 20078). In reality in 20078 there was no alternate without making the situation worse.
Keep Labour Out
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:10 PMI don't know and you don't because like I said before I am not an economist and nor are you. But I am right Labour created the deficit because of their reckless overspending.
brookss4
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:05 PMOK if that is so please tell me what you would have done, what was a credible alternate. Its fine saying it was PFI's etc, but in 2008 what should have been done.
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