‘Staff would rather take a cut in allowances than lose jobs’

The chief executive of a Yorkshire Council facing hundreds of job cuts has said he has to hit his budget or face the spectre of Government intervention.

Hull Council, which needs to make £33m savings over the next two financial years, is writing to trade unions to set out proposals to alter “generous” terms and conditions of staff.

But unions, who will be lobbying councillors at a meeting tomorrow, say they refuse to join “a race to the bottom” by ditching terms and conditions which have been “hard won” over the years.

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Interim chief executive Darryl Stephenson said: “(Council leader) Steve Brady was very clear that we will hit the budget, there’s a Government set target, which we will hit - but in doing so we want to protect as many jobs and services as possible.

“We are looking at terms and conditions of service and what we are saying is that we’d like them to be the same as surrounding local authorities, the same as the East Riding, the same as North Lincolnshire and the same as North East Lincolnshire.

“I talk to members of staff and they are saying to me they would rather have a small reduction in their mileage allowance as opposed to colleagues losing their jobs.”

Government appointee Tony Allen was appointed to oversee Hull Council nearly a decade ago after a report branded it one of the worst-run in the country.

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Mr Stephenson said: “Our reality is that we have to hit the budget targets - if we don’t do that then all the spectres of Government intervention will raise their heads again and people who have no sympathy will be charged with making the cuts.”

The council is half way through making £100m cuts and could axe up to 240 jobs in its business support section. A thousand jobs went last year.

Mr Stephenson - who took over in July following the shock departure of chief executive Nicola Yates - said whatever happened there would be hundreds of job losses at the council - but added: “How many depends on what can be negotiated.”

He has agreed to stay on until another chief executive is in place - potentially another four to five months.

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The administration is looking to tackle a wide range of terms and conditions, including slashing the £4m overtime bill, which sees workers get time and a half on Saturdays and double time on Sundays, and its £2.3m car allowances bill, including £688,000 paid to staff claiming an essential car users’ allowance.

Hull staff also receive far more generous redundancy pay than neighbouring authorities.

Unions have attacked Mr Stephenson’s reputed £600-a-day pay.

Mr Stephenson said: “It is always personalised. I think it is a great shame but it does seem a fact of life - at some stage they still have to deal with the issues.”

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Hull Trades Union Council secretary Phil Sanderson, which is backing a lobby at the Guildhall, by Unison, the GMB and Unite, said Mr Stephenson was “shroud-waving”. Union representatives will be speaking to councillors as they arrive for the afternoon’s full council meeting.

Mr Sanderson said: “They present this Apocalyptic scenario, every time, that there’s no alternatives.

“Has he got the stomach for it if there’s a big fight?

“The Government was forced to cough up some money (recently); they U-turned on train fares, suddenly money was provided to reduce price increases. The reality is that they are susceptible to pressure.

“I say to people when are the bankers going to take the same kind of hit we are taking. When are the tax dodgers?

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“When these people start to pay their fair share - until then I don’t see why I should pay for the cuts. “

Negotiations with the unions will go on for three months and if there is failure to agree it will then go to the secretaries of the employer’s side and trade unions in Leeds for further discussion.

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