RTUC protests Reading Borough Council Outsourcing Proposals

Reading Trades Union Council delegates, including Neil Adams (Unite), James Denny (RMT), Steve Geary (USDAW), John Gillman (Unite), James Parker (Unite), Ray Parkes (Unite), John Partington (TSSA), Chris Reilly (RMT) and Tanya Wills (Unite), were joined by members of Reading Socialist Party and Reading & District Labour Party, as well as unaffiliated individuals, to protest the proposals recently tabled by Reading Borough Council to OUTSOURCE ALL OF READING'S LEISURE SERVICES to one private management company. These services include Rivermead Leisure Centre, Palmer Park, Medway Sport and South Reading Leisure Centre.

RTUC, RSP and RDLP Members Protest RBC Outsourcing Proposals

The proposals, announced in the Reading Chronicle on 10 January 2020, would breach Reading Labour Party policy and show an utter disregard for trade union opposition by councillors of all political hues, including the ruling Labour Group. Reading Labour Party's policy to oppose outsourcing and actively pursue insourcing of council services was adopted in October 2018 when RDLP passed a motion which resolved:

1. To affirm support for Labour Party policy set out in the 2017 Labour Party Manifesto and conference resolution of Composite Motion 6 on 27 September 2018, opposing the outsourcing of public services.
2. To affirm support for the national agreement reached between the Unions and the LGA Labour Group.
3. To instruct the Chair of RDLP to write to the RBC Labour Group requesting it abandon proposals to ‘market test’ Revenue and Benefits services.
4. To instruct the Chair of RDLP to write to the RBC Labour Group requesting it reconsider proposals to establish charitable trusts to manage Children’s Services and Museums and Libraries.
5. To instruct the Chair of RDLP to further request the RBC Labour Group to commit to working collaboratively with Trades’ Unions and other staff to undertake a comprehensive feasibility study into the delivery of all Revenue and Benefits services through in-house provision, taking account of wider economic, social and environmental considerations.
6. To instruct the Chair of RDLP to respectfully request the Leader and Deputy Leader of RBC to report back to the next RDLP AMM on this matter.

Outsourcing Protest t the Civic Offices

On the basis of this resolution, Reading Labour councillors should oppose the RBC proposal, which would contract Reading's leisure services - including new swimming pools at Rivermead and Palmer Park - to a private management company for 25 YEARS. Such private finance initiatives have been discredited since the indebtedness incurred by the NHS following such deals in the 2000s became apparent in the last decade. Indeed, a similar arrangement to RBC's proposal was entered into by Bracknell's Tory council - and its poor performance has been such that the council is now discussing the service provider, Everyone Active's  progress! The current private management company at Rivermead - Greenwich Leisure Ltd - which may or may not be RBC's preferred bidder for the comprehensive leisure contract - has a poor track record as a service provider and an employer, and is currently in dispute with Unite the Union in Bromley over its abuse of workers' terms and conditions (including use of zero hours contracts) and its refusal to recognise trade unions. (Reading's Lead Councillor for Sport, Health & Wellbeing, is Cllr Graeme Hoskin, a Unite member, so one would expect him to take heed of his trade union's damning report in any dealings RBC has with Greenwich Leisure Ltd.)

RBC is due to decide on the Reading leisure contract at its next Policy Committee meeting on 20 January. The option to reject an outsourcing contract is still available to Labour Group; RTUC urges Reading Borough Council to opt for direct council management of Reading leisure services in line with RDLP policy and like many councils do throughout the UK.

A contingent of anti-outsourcing protesters, organised by the 'Save Arthur Hill Pool' community group and RTUC, will be present outside the Council Offices on 20 January from at 5.30pm to let the councillors and the public know that RBC's outsourcing of public services is not going unopposed and to encourage an eleventh hour change of heart.