Council
Agenda Item 73
Subject: Supporting Unison’s Bring It Back Campaign
Date of meeting: 30 January 2025
Proposer: Councillor Sykes
Seconder: Councillor Shanks
Ward(s) affected: All
Notice of Motion
Green Group
This council notes:
1) Unison’s #Bringitback campaign which highlights that over 14 years the previous government took £110 million from Brighton & Hove City Council through austerity measures.
2) That local government services continue to be squeezed by rising costs and demand to the background of inadequate funding from central government.
3) Concerns raised by Unison about the impact of our Council’s organisation redesign on staff morale and service provision.
4) Reports that the Government is considering further cuts than those already planned to public services in response to rising borrowing costs.
5) Concerns with the effects of the hiring freeze, overtime ban and temporary stop to using agency workers.
Therefore, resolves to:
1) Give its support as a Council to Unison’s #Bringitback Campaign.
2) Ensure that staff are made aware of the opportunities open to them to join a Union
3) Ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves to call for her to reverse cuts to local councils by the last government.
4) Request the Administration to bring a report to Cabinet to look at the effects of the recent staff redesign and the effects it has had on staff and service provision.
5) Request the Administration to consider additional methods for the involvement of the public in the 2025-2026 budget setting process.
Supporting Information:
BRINGITBACK Campaign Launched — Brighton and Hove Unison (https://www.brightonandhoveunison.org.uk/news/bringitback-campaign-launched)
#BRINGITBACK Brighton & Hove Campaign — Brighton and Hove Unison(https://www.brightonandhoveunison.org.uk/bringitbackbrightonandhove)
Reeves mulls deeper cuts to public services as borrowing costs soar | Economics | The Guardian
Keir Starmer says Treasury will be ruthless on public spending cuts | Public finance | The Guardian