Jobs fears over plan to share services

Major plans for public sector reform across the west of Scotland have been dealt a critical blow, with a second council expected to reject merging thousands of backroom staff.

West Dunbartonshire’s opposition Labour group said the plan to create a stand-alone body providing administrative support services did not stack up and would cost the struggling authority a raft of job losses.

The deputy leader of the SNP-led council all but threw his weight behind his opponents’ plans and claimed the merger would “not be in West Dunbartonshire’s interests at this time”.

Councillor Jonathan McColl said: “We have already made progress in a number of areas locally, including health and social care integration that has been recognised as good practice nationally and I do not see shared services providing better solutions. The Council will look at a full report at the end of the month and come to a decision once we have the full facts in front of us.”

Many senior political figures within the seven councils still involved in the Clyde Valley Shared Services plans are anxious about the jobs implications of the programme.

South Lanarkshire has already decided to walk away from the proposal to share backroom and support services.

West Dunbartonshire’s Labour group leader Martin Rooney said: “It [the scheme] is one which we are not willing to support as it cuts hundreds of jobs, puts services at risk and in our view has no prospect of success within the time-scales laid down.

“The SNP Council also has concerns but its strategy is simply to defer the decision until after the council elections next year.”