Commenting on a letter to counclis today (Thursday) from local government minister Simon Hoare calling for greater productivity, UNISON head of local government Mike Short said:
“The best way for councils to run efficient services is for them to be adequately resourced and staffed.
“Local authority budgets have been cut to the bone after 14 years of slashed budgets, and that’s had a serious impact on communities.
“With so many councils teetering on the brink, the government has to realise it’s the funding system as a whole that needs attention. Not a further round of efficiency savings.
“That no doubt means forcing highly productive and already overworked staff to do even more with less.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk