Council approves £200m 'Change Programme'
NOTTS County Council has voted through plans to make major changes to the way it operates, in a bid to save £200m in the next five years
The Change Programme, set to cost tax payers £21m, will see a vast number of changes made to the way the authority manages its business.
The programme will see a further 1,000 jobs being axed on top of 468 outlined for the next financial year.
It will also involve moving from a "antiquated" paper-based environment to a modern, digital one, changes to the way it buys goods and services and the potential sale of council buildings.
Deputy council leader Martin Suthers said: "This programme is about making the council's business systems more efficient."
Opposition councillors criticised the plans.
Labour leader Alan Rhodes said it was "a smoke screen" for cuts."
Lib Dem deputy leader Stan Heptinstall bemoaned a lack of guaranteed outcomes which the programme aims to achieve.
He said: "It is almost a bit like going to a casino and hoping to come up with the goods."
The Conservatives say the council needs to make efficiencies to battle enormous cuts in government funding, an ageing population, and increasing numbers of children being referred to social services in the light of Baby P's death.
The Conservatives condemned the former Labour administration for not modernising the authority.
Tory councillor Mark Spencer told the meeting: "It takes somebody with the guts and the bravery to come along and say we cannot continue like this."
Earlier, more than 100 protesters gathered at County Hall today to oppose the controversial savings plans.
A team of 15 council staff were acting as stewards controlling access to County Hall in anticipation of large crowds.
Metal barriers were erected outside the council building and a podium was set up from which Conservative council leader Coun Kay Cutts addressed the throng.
She was booed and jeered by protesters who shouted "rubbish".
She told the crowd: "The harsh reality is like all the local councils we are faced with many difficult decisions."
She added the sale of the care homes was "not a decision we take lightly".
"Shame on you," shouted the crowd.
Coun Alan Rhodes, lead of the Labour group on Notts County Council described the proposals as "vicious and vindictive".
Liberal Democrat leader Coun Jason Zadrozny, alleged the council had already made its mind up on the cuts.
He said: "This deal has been struck in a dark, smoke filled room already."
Former county council worker Ken Andrews, 84, from Beeston, took part in the protest.
He said: "I am fighting to save the elderly peoples' homes. It is an absolute disgrace what this council is doing. People do want to care for elderly people."
22 Comments
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by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Friday, February 26 2010, 4:08PM
“Gillian, that's one part of the problem.”
by Gillian, meadow house
Friday, February 26 2010, 2:52PM
“My job is under threat, I didn't vote conservative. Do they really need all those millions in reserve? I am all for saving for a rainy day, but surely a few million during this rainy day would sort all the problems in one go!”
by Worker, Notts
Thursday, February 25 2010, 8:30PM
“Anyone really interested in saving ratepayers money would have a good look at the partnerships the council has entered into with private sector providers. Not going out to tender to get the best price is not the way these days, they "partner" with a private sector company who says they give the council a good deal. Would you buy a new washing machine this way?”
by wurrows, Nottingham
Thursday, February 25 2010, 6:34PM
“Albert, In the Bunker
Whatever - but they're not closing, as many NuLab supporters here claim.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Thursday, February 25 2010, 5:47PM
“I Ross don't be ridiculous.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Thursday, February 25 2010, 5:44PM
“This is an incredibly sad day for Notts.
For Coun Suthers to stand there and tell us the Change Program will save the taxpayer money is an absolute smokescreen.
The £21 million being devoted to it could be better spent on frontline services.
As Coun Heptinstall rightly says, it is effectively gambling with all this money in the hope that something will come of it.
On the overall budget, I entirely agree with both Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
A good majority of these "necessary cuts" (notice the quotation marks) is due to the Tories' insistence on keeping to a misguided, ill-thought through and unaffordable freeze in council tax, at all costs, contrary to the wishes of the people of Newark and Sherwood.
Not to mention spending millions on this Change Program, and more millions on proving that the statement on improving buses and public transport are a cover-up.
And Wurrows,
"Residential homes for the elderly are NOT being closed. They WILL remain OPEN - just that they will not be run by the council anymore."
Wurrows I think we've heard that one before.
If this sail happens, the "cast iron guarantee" that no staff or services will be lost is not worth the paper it's written on.
The private sector is just about profit.
And any change of ownership inevitably means unsettling the residents at a time in their lives when we can ill-afford that.
In Bramcote, I hear today that the Bramwell Care Home, which specializes in caring for people with Dementia, and is connected with a day centre, is in an area prime for development.
Even the Tory PPC for Broxtowe has now done a U-turn and is not convinced!
Lets look at the rest of the budget:
Kay Cutts has said that she will invest the money from the sails back in to services to enable people to live independently.
Why should we take that seriously, given that she wants to increase charges for day centre services (those she keeps open, that is), Meals on Wheels, and social care visitors.
Elsewhere, does not the proposal to close 3 recycling centers further undermine the Tory message of 'vote blue, go green' by closing 3 recycling centers.
In short, Kay Cutts's message about how the council needs to make these cuts is simply wrong.
If it scrapped the pointless and misguided tax freeze and increased it by 2% (47 pence), and scrapped the change program, and scrapped the anti-public transport policy (which will cost the taxpayer a lot more and proves again that the Tories have not changed), it could significantly reduce the cuts and possibly scrap the entire program.
Surely people will conclude 1 thing; these cuts are not about economics, they are about dogma.
Yet another reason why not to vote Tory in May!”
by I Ross, Nottingham
Thursday, February 25 2010, 5:37PM
“Look, look calm down everyone. With the idea of assisted suicides and euthanasia gaining serious consideration by the authorities, lets extend these principles to the over 65s and anyone with a disability or extra needs and kill them all. Then we won't need to spend valuable taxpayers money on these vulnerable people, maintaining care homes and such. At a stroke (no pun intended) millions will be saved from the council budget and we can all relax - except when we get to 65...”
by Albert, In the Bunker
Thursday, February 25 2010, 5:15PM
“wurrows,
And of course the council cabinet have said that once they are in the private sector, they will remain open, the employees are guaranteed to keep their jobs for three years, and the residents can enjoy the same standard of life they have now.
Yeah, right. Those guarantees are worth as the paper they'll be written on.
Want to buy some magic beans?”
by Alan, Nottingham
Thursday, February 25 2010, 5:08PM
“'Smoke filled room'?
So the decision was made abroad then? (Only the UK and Ireland in the whole of the EEC have a total smoking ban.......for now.)”
by wurrows, Nottingham
Thursday, February 25 2010, 5:05PM
“Residential homes for the elderly are NOT being closed. They WILL remain OPEN - just that they will not be run by the council anymore.”