Job cuts resulting from a restructure of West Dunbartonshire Leisure are unacceptable, an SNP councillor claims.
Earlier this year we told how a leisure trust whistleblower had warned a planned reduction in staff would have “a significant impact” on services.
Planned cuts would see a 5.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff cut, however, WDC say this is offset by current vacancies – reducing the impact to 2.6FTE.
A ‘sport and activity team’ will be formed to run local projects, including the Loch Lomond 10k and sport holiday camps.
West Dunbartonshire Leisure said the cuts would not have an impact on frontline services, and that trade unions agreed to the organisational change policy.
However at a full meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council tomorrow (Wednesday) a motion from SNP member for Kirkpatrick Gordon Scanlan will oppose the cuts, calling staff losses “unacceptable” and warning the idea has “caused distress, and negatively impacted trust and goodwill in senior management.”
Cllr Scanlan’s motion also calls for a ban on job cuts within the leisure group for three years.
Earlier this year a whistleblower told the Lennox: “There will be a significant reduction in the number of staff employed to develop sport.
“The claim that everything will still be delivered by the new sport and physical activity team is ridiculous.
“How can five posts be deleted without having any impact on services for the community?
“Big events such as the 10K and school cross countries cannot be delivered without a decent sized team.”
Councillor Scanlan’s motion reads: “Council appreciates the lifelong benefits of this to residents of all ages within our community and especially so for their contribution in areas of high deprivation, to children and to those with additional support needs.
“Council finds the current restructure proposal which would result in staff losses unacceptable, especially given the rise in the management budget for leisure services.
“Council calls on the Leisure Trust to scrap the current restructure proposal.
“Council is conscious that the staff affected have now faced two such restructure proposals in the space of 18 months, and understand that the handling of this latest restructure idea has caused distress, and negatively impacted trust and goodwill in senior management.
“Council recommends that the Leisure Trust implement a moratorium on any organisational restructure which would result in job losses for the next three years giving the staff much needed security and the breathing space to continue their great work. Such an act would go a long way to help repair strained workplace relations.”
The move was also opposed by West Dunbartonshire’s joint trade unions (JTU) who said: “West Dunbartonshire overall scores within the bottom 15 percent of communities nationwide according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
“Services should be enhanced to provide opportunity for all. Our members are dismayed with these proposed cuts.”
A council spokeswoman said: “A full consultation on the proposed changes is now underway. We are currently seeking input to and feedback from employees on the proposals which will be considered before any new model is finalised.
“We recognise that any change can be unsettling for employees and we are continuing to liaise with them and our trade unions throughout this process with the aim of securing a mutually agreeable outcome.”
