New Milton Advertiser 2nd Oct 2020

4 · Friday 2nd October 2020

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Union slams plans for leisure centres

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Arrests after cannabis found TWO people were arrested after police discovered a can - nabis production set-up at a home in Totton. Officers were searching the house in Harwood Close on Monday in relation to a recent spate of shoplifting and theft offences in the Waterside, Romsey and Southampton areas when they came across evidence of the class B drug’s cultivation. A 35-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man, both from Totton, were detained on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class B drugs. They were later released under investigation pending further enquiries. The officers also seized a quantity of cannabis from the property. Investigation into second fire POLICE have launched a probe into the second blaze believed to have been started deliberately at a woodland site in Hythe in just over a week. Responding to a call-out around 2.40pm on Tuesday, firefighters from Hardley con - tained the small emergency at Forest Front, which scorched an area of undergrowth. This incident followed another at the same location just before 5pm on Sunday 20th September when 10 square metres of grassland was in flames. As reported in the A&T, that blaze was investigated together with a small blaze which took place in Blackfield Common shortly before 3pm the previous day. 19 Fir Avenue, New Milton whole house Animal accidents A PIG was killed and two cows were injured during ac- cidents on New Forest roads last week. On Monday verderers were notified the pig had been involved in a hit-and-run accident near Emery Down at around 3pm. Two days later an Angus heifer was injured on the C10 at Vereley at around 8am and a second cow was reportedly hurt on the B3078 between Longcross and Trench Hill at around 8am on Saturday. A further accident involv - ing a brown pony on the B3058 at Wootton was re - ported at 7.45pm on Sunday evening but the animal could not be found by agisters.

Allowing private firm to run Forest sites is ‘pointless’ says Unison

BY JON WALLER

UNION leaders believe enlist- ing a private company to run New Forest District Council’s five health and leisure centres is “pointless” and have called on civic chiefs to scrap the move. Branding the switch “unnec - essary”, Unison representatives revealed three areas of conten - tion remain between them and NFDC over staff contracts with the new provider. NFDC is currently exploring bringing in a private operator for its health and leisure centres (HLCs) – a move it claims will save up to £400,000. It has been running a tendering process to choose the preferred contrac - tor, although the identities of the firms in the frame have not been publicly revealed. However, the move has been contentious, with critics – in - cluding the opposition Liber - al Democrat group on NFDC – claiming it is “privatisation” and will see users lose out. Amid the ongoing process, Unison has held talks with a delegation of senior council staff and its cabinet member for leisure and wellbeing, Cllr Mark Steele. The union said the disagree - ments are over NFDC not re- quiring the chosen provider to include a full salary pension scheme or an annual pay award for any new staff employed. Existing staff will have their current rights protected and continue to access the Local Government Pension Scheme, it has been stressed. NFDC is also resisting the union’s push to give employ - ees currently on zero-hour contracts the option of stating the minimum number of hours they work in a week in their new contracts; Unison claims that would ensure them a regular income and more employment rights. Speaking to the A&T, Uni - son’s south-east regional organ - iser Peter Terry questioned the £400,000 saving figure – claim - ing changes to VAT mean it is actually closer to £100,000. Given some 40% of the NFDC workforce are employed within

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Campaigners demonstrating the NFDC’s plans in February this year

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to the new operator, protecting their rights. But new employees will “ have the option to join the [pension] scheme administered by the organisation that em - ploys them”. All NFDC staff will transfer to the new operator on their current terms and conditions “which includes all pay rates and pay structure”, while NFDC has stipulated the contractor must match the district’s min - imum pay point for any HLC staff, both existing and new. “Third party operators may opt to utilise incentive schemes, rather than annual increases to basic pay as a way of financial - ly rewarding their staff,” the spokeswoman went on. “It is vital to the successful running of leisure centres that the operator be left to pay ap - propriate remuneration based on market conditions. The op - erators are required to share with the council all pay policies as part of the procurement pro - cess,” she added. She said the use of “variable contracts” for HLC instructors was “a long-standing arrange- ment” that suited them and the council. “All bidders have been pro - vided with an anonymous staff list as part of the bidding pro - cess, this includes the actual hours instructors have worked. This doesn’t change as a result of a new potential operating

model,” she added.

the leisure sector, he believes the likely savings mean the scheme is not worth pursuing. “Doing this will have massive implications for a large amount of its workforce, against a tiny deficit in the council’s budget,” Mr Terry said. “For the amount of money, it really is in our view pointless. At the moment we cannot see many people wanting to bid for this in the current economic climate and we feel it is ill-con - ceived. “It seems to be being done purely on an ideological grounds with no real financial reasons other than someone in the council thinks the private sector is better for the public.” However, Mr Terry added: “The council has been engag - ing well and discussions [be- tween NFDC and Unison] have been constructive; just because we disagree – and we do have strong disagreement on some points – does not mean we will not engage with them. “It’s our intention to work with the new employers and help ensure that this business becomes a success. I am sure the community and the staff will want the benefits the new employers doing well will hope - fully bring. We do not want to sabotage this.” Asked to comment, a NFDC spokeswoman stressed HLC employees will ‘TUPE’ transfer

“Any employer who is run - ning a leisure centre service will need to ensure they can both recruit and retain their staff on good pay, terms and conditions to ensure the successful run - ning and financial sustainabili - ty of the centres. “It will be down to any new operator to decide what these are for new employees and it is right that they have the flexibil - ity to make those decisions if they become the employer.” Answering Unison’s privati- sation claim, she went on: “The council has always targeted an annual reduction in the cost of running the leisure centres at £400,000 per annum as a re- sult of this change in operating model, and this continues to be the target, despite changes in VAT rules. “The council has both a re - sponsibility to the centre users to continue to protect and pro- vide a sustainable leisure ser- vice, but also must balance this with the wider council taxpay - ers within the district who cur - rently all subsidise the leisure service. “The council will make an informed decision on the fu - ture running of the leisure cen - tres, including the operator’s ability to meet the council’s objectives, expected service standards, and financial re - turn.”

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Police attacked after moving drunk man

POLICE were assaulted as they responded to reports of a drunk man lying unconscious in a road in Hythe on Sunday night. The alarm was raised shortly

before 11pm, and officers were subjected to abuse and aggres- sion after escorting a man to the side of Fawley Road. They arrested the 24-year-old

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Rogue trader alert after water firm uniforms stolen The uniforms were stolen from Southern Water’s Marchwood site

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RESIDENTS are urged to be wary of doorstep callers claim - ing to be from Southern Water after uniforms were stolen in a raid on its Marchwood site. Thieves forced their way into the premises in Bury Road dur - ing last Tuesday night, and took a washing machine containing the clothing. The incident prompted local police to warn householders across the Waterside they could fall victim to rogue traders and doorstep thieves as a result. “We would like to bring to your attention that one of Southern Water’s business premises in our area was bur- gled over the past few days,” the message from the Hardley Neighbourhood Policing Team said. “As well as equipment being taken, some of the uniforms be - longing to Southern Water were also taken. “We ask that if anyone from Southern Water comes to the

door that you respectfully re- quest ID, as there is a potential for rogue traders and ‘doorstep burglaries’ taking place if the company’s uniforms are being used by others.” Officers are calling for people to come forward if they saw any suspicious activity around the time of the raid or can help track down those re - sponsible. A force spokesperson told the A&T: “We received a report that between 12am and 7am on 23rd September, a burglary took place at a Southern Water site on Bury Road, Southamp - ton. “Entry was forced to the site and a washing machine con - taining Southern Water brand - ed clothing was stolen.” Those with information should contact Hampshire po - lice on 101, quoting crime ref - erence number 44200369471, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

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