Severe
cuts in council planning departments are leading to potential safety risks for
the public, reducing the quality of the service delivered and worsening
inequalities, a survey of UNISON members has revealed today.
And
the union argues that the essential protections needed to “protect the public
from unscrupulous and dangerous practices” - and to ensure that Scotland is a
safe place to live and work - will be weakened in the Scottish government’s new
Regulation Bill.
Dave
Watson, Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, said:
“We
have surveyed our members at the sharp end of planning – and they describe a
variety of serious problems, including some potential public safety risks. One
authority was reported as having effectively abandoned its asbestos register.
And there were reports of increasing numbers of properties having either out of
date electrical certificates or no certificate at all.
“The
vast majority believe the service provided to the public is being adversely
affected by cuts - mostly due to decreasing staff numbers - either through
redundancy or leaving vacancies unfilled. Almost 60% described the level of
cuts already as ‘major’ or ‘severe’ and most believe there are further major or
severe cuts still to come.“
The
survey results were published today, as UNISON gave evidence to the Scottish
Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Tourism on the Regulatory Reform (Scotland)
Bill.
Dave
Watson said:
“Regulations
don’t just protect the public from unscrupulous and dangerous practices. They
protect other businesses as well. Companies who don’t follow the rules can
offer a cheaper or faster service. This makes it difficult for those who do the
right thing to compete. Fly tippers can charge a lot less than those who pay to
have their waste disposed of or recycled. This drives down profit margins and
increases costs for taxpayers who have to pay to have streets cleaned.
“But
this Bill places regulatory reform in terms of economic growth - rather than
protecting the public.
Dave
Watson added:
"The
proposal by ministers to link planning fees to performance is without doubt an
unwarranted interference in local democracy. This kind of top down performance
management framework has been a dismal failure everywhere else it has been
tried. System thinkers have been highlighting this for a decade or more. All
the evidence - for example on hospital waiting times - shows that other
services suffer and staff are forced under pressure from above to ‘game’ the
system."
ENDS
Notes
to editors:
1.
UNISON is Scotland’s largest public services trade union. We represent 160,000
members working to deliver a wide range of services across Scotland in the
public, community and private sector. Our members in planning departments
include planners, architects, archaeologists, clerks of works, building
standards officers, pest control officers, and others who perform key
regulatory roles in local authorities and Non Departmental Public Bodies
(NDPBs).
2.
‘Effects of Cuts in Local Authority Planning Departments’ - UNISON Scotland
Briefing No 35 June 2013 is published today. The document reports the results
of a survey of UNISON members in planning. It is now available online at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/b035_BargainingBrief_CutsInPlanning_Jun2013.pdf
KEY
POINTS:
•
Cuts are having a major impact on staffing levels in planning departments
across Scotland.
•
Cuts are having a major or serious impact across all aspects of the planning
service.
•
Safety to the public is being compromised due to the cuts
•
Development opportunities are being missed
•
Staff are suffering from low morale and increased stress
3.
UNISON Scotland’s written evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy
and Tourism Committee on the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Bill is available
online here:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/RegulatoryReformBill_EvidencetoSPEconomyEnergyTourismCmtte_Jun2013.pdf
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/RegulatoryReformBill_EvidencetoSPEconomyEnergyTourismCmtte_Jun2013.pdf
Dave
Watson, UNISON Scotland Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, presented this
evidence at a session of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee on Wednesday
12 June 2013. Committee evidence is normally available online to view in the
Scottish Parliament TV archive after the sessions.
.
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