‘Resign’ call to council leader (From Bury Times)

‘Resign’ call to council leader

8:30am Thursday 15th January 2009

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LABOUR councillors have called for council leader Bob Bibby to quit after almost 4,000 ‘pay’ letters were sent out to staff by mistake.

Bury Council spent £5,000 on letters telling staff they would be dismissed on March 31 if they did not agree to a new pay scale. Anyone who did agree to the new terms, as set in the pay and grading review carried out last year, would be immediately re-employed on April 1.

But the letters were rescinded just a few days later when solicitors from trade union Unison contacted the council. They said a consultation should have been carried out on the implementation of the review before the letters were sent.

In a statement sent to the Bury Times, the Labour group said: “Coun Bibby’s handling of the whole pay and grading review has been a disgrace. The present chaotic situation, where staff are frightened and confused, cannot be allowed to continue.

“We believe Coun Bibby no longer has the moral authority to lead this council and we demand he does the honourable thing and immediately resign. We feel that a way must be found to help our staff get back to doing what they do so well, providing first-class services to the people of our borough.”

Party leader Councillor Wayne Campbell added: “We aren’t calling for his resignation lightly. We would like the Conservative group to elect a new leader because of the way this has been handled. Coun Bibby has led the whole process and assured people that he has done a full consultation. Politically he is the person who should take the fall for this.”

Concerns about the Conservative administration’s handling of the situation have also come from the Liberal Democrats.

Councillor Richard Baum said: “The whole thing has been catastrophically handled by the council’s executive. They need to get this sorted out and proceed as quickly as possible so that staff know where they stand. It is important that, as far as possible, relations aren’t damaged even further. The council needs to work with the trade unions to make sure this doesn’t become worse.

“The Conservative executive needs to learn how to handle big projects in future, because they have shown they don’t know how to do it.”

Unison branch secretary Steve Morton said: “Our lawyers told us they had grave concerns about how this was being handled, but the council still sent out the letters. We now need to make sure that the council does right by its employees. So far it has been a shambles and there are a lot of unhappy people working at Bury Council.

”We are not getting into the politics of what has happened. If the Conservatives believe that Coun Bibby needs to stand down, then that is up to them and not us. This is bigger than one person though — a few people need to look at their roles in this.”

Despite the concerns raised about his involvement in the process, Coun Bibby has insisted that he will remain in his role as leader of the council.

He said: “Once again I am disappointed in the behaviour of the Labour group, who continue to play politics with this complex and difficult issue and use our employees as pawns in the process.

“It is regrettable the letters informing our employees have to be withdrawn because it is only right and proper that further consultation on the pay and grading process is conducted. Extensive consultations with the trade unions have progressed over several months and this delay will ensure that all technical aspects of the implementation process are satisfactorily concluded.

“Labour are well aware that every council leader across the country is having to make tough and unpopular financial decisions. I will continue in my role as leader of Bury Council, to strike the balance of protecting hard pressed council tax-payers and supporting our valued members of staff during this challenging time.”

The council reviewed the positions and salaries of 3,976 staff last year in the job evaluation process being carried out nationally.

The results were that 1,757 people (44.2 per cent) would keep the same wage, 1,237 people (31 per cent) would receive an increase, and 982 people (24.7 per cent) faced a reduction.

The council decided to introduce the new pay scales by dismissing and immediately re-engaging staff on an individual basis.

That meant all contracts would officially end on March 31, with new contracts including the changes in pay starting on April 1.

Letters dated January 2 were sent to staff giving them 12 weeks’ notice of their dismissal and re-employment, with ten per cent of those affected agreeing to the new contracts in the first four days.

But the council decided to withdraw the letters and hold a further period of consultation after being contacted by Unison solicitors on January 5.

Negotiations are now taking place between the council and the trade unions to decide the best way forward.

The new consultation will focus on the implementation of the pay scales, with the council insisting that no changes will be made to the results of the job evaluation process.

Chief executive Mark Sanders said: “It is regrettable that we have had to withdraw the letter issued to staff, as ten per cent of the employees had already accepted the new terms and conditions. However, having consider up-to-date legal advice we feel that this is the most appropriate course of action.

“I realise that the job evaluation process has been lengthy and for many employees it has been a difficult and challenging time and in the letter issued to staff I have apologised for this further delay.

“It is important that the council ensures that we implement the new pay scale in a way which is right for all members of staff and it is for this reason we feel it is important to undertake this further period of consultation with the trade unions.”

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