On 20 January 2020, the Reading Borough Council (RBC) Policy Committee met to sign away the management of Reading's leisure services for 25 years. The move, appointing Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) as management company for the town's four leisure facilities (Rivermead, Meadway, South Reading and Palmer Park), contravenes Reading & District Labour Party (RDLP) policy as arrived at in October 2018 when the party passed a motion which resolved:
1. To affirm support for the policy set out in the 2017 Labour Party Manifesto 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’ the services identified above by way of competitive tender under
the rules of public procurement law.
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 find better ways to deliver services,
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 these matters and participate in a substantive
discussion on the merits of ways of providing services, whilst meeting the Council’s financial
obligations.
7. To instruct the RDLP executive committee to ensure that an All Members Meeting is held in
October 2018.
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| RTUC and other community groups protest outsourcing ahead of the RBC Policy Committee Meeting |
Reading Trades Union Council was well represented, with Neil Adams (Unite), Nikki Dancey (GMB), James Denny (RMT), Steve Geary (USDAW), John Gillman (Unite), Keith Jerrome (Unite), James Parker (Unite), Ray Parkes (Unite), John Partington (TSSA), Sue Taylor (PCS) and Tanya Wills (Unite) forming a presence. The Reading Chronicle covered the meeting but marginalised the protest. A much more balanced news piece was provided by That's Thames Valley TV, which interviewed John Partington of RTUC, David McMullen of GMB and Cllrs Jason Brock and Graeme Hoskin (RBC Leader and Lead Councillor for Health, Wellbeing & Sport, respectively).
John warned of the pressure staff's terms and conditions of employment will be under following outsourcing, with zero hours contracts and diluted pension entitlements being real concerns. David highlighted depreciated hygiene at Bracknell's similarly outsourced facilities and the reduced investment in services. The 25-year duration of RBC's award to GLL without a break clause is an additional cause for concern. The news broadcast can be seen here:
Despite the protests staged by RTUC, the Rivermead Bowling Club, Save Arthur Hill Pool and members of RDLP, RBC's Policy Committee voted to award the management contract for Reading leisure to GLL for 25 years. RTUC and its affiliated trade unions will scrutinise practice and hold GLL to account until such time as the leisure services can be brought back in house - in line with Labour Party policy.
