Napo at Work in the South West 19

Thanks go to the reader for forwarding the following:-

Napo SSW Branch report Seasonal update 27

Dear members,

A short Xmas message as we all look forwards to the well deserved seasonal break.

Increasingly the weakening position of the Working links contract holder position is becoming much clearer. The incredible notice of travel ban financial expenses costing spending of small pounds expenditure have to be authorised by the financial Working Links Director. Who by the way they are down to just two Directors for the CRCs contract areas.

There are still many adjusted Working Links staffing contracts weaved into the justices funding including non-advertised roles filled in the Middlesbrough Working links HQ.

While following the money as we all watch on as staff resources are desperately short in relation to buildings, supplies, travel staffing and all the rest of the needs to run a decent proper service I have to publish the very healthy account of the Aurelius Christmas accounts from the public purse. Their minimal reporting of taking significant monies from the contract is fairly clear. 

Prior Year Adjustment

During the year £150,000 of interest receivable from Working Links (Employment) Ltd was reclassified from Investments to current assets. 

Take a careful read at the small print here and the optimistic outlook of the directors of Working Links that their engagement of their activity will continue. We do hope not and on current form not at all likely. 

(Unfortunately it's not proved possible to reproduce extract - Ed)

Staying with the issues of the ongoing dispute the failings of the whole structure are becoming so obvious the MOJ have to act now as none of us know what the melt down is actually going to become.

Locally we have just seen the closure of the HMIP activity and there could be no way on this planet the inspectors could not have picked up the destructive Working Links model and its complete failure to deliver any quality services. I am not about to speculate too much on what the report is likely to uncover but our extensive feedback from members who took part, is that not one of them was able to report anything positive of the Working Links structures that have plagued this contract area.

Looking at the accounts above the issue of the contract variation with the MOJ to deliver 1-1 services has seen Aurelius look to get out of the money taking activity as they realise the MSC 1-1 has to be delivered within existing costs. That means less available free cash available to them so they are selling the Working Links venture as a bad debt. On top of that the monies Working Links received is suggested all it did was to pay off its debts to the banks. No one mentions the responsibilities of the contracts. Aurelius not saying anything like they have in the past like the new cash injection from Government makes the contract a prospect without any onerous issue. The prospects of last years bail out seems to have dried up.

A few things we seek in our Christmas wish list to Santa is the removal of Working Links as soon as possible which cannot be much longer reading between the lines. As they get sold off to a bad debt company stated in the Aurelius intentions, we ask who might then become in charge of a failed company from the debt foreclosure sale? The MOJ recognise this is simply not a realistic prospect. We know the MOJ could not allow some debt recovery assets stripping small firm in the back door to manage a contract that allegedly included vetting and sustainability checks. Selling a debt ridden Working Links entity to anyone is just not going to happen, is it? So, when is the NPS going to have to take over?

Besides we all know the NPS situation is that they must realise the dysfunctional service design of the CRC places too much friction between the two operating processes. Any faith in the current situation is simply negligence.

Something more fundamental in relation to public reclaim will most likely be a response to the dysfunctional situation of the Working links way facing a sell off. We would like see a properly managed and agreed service design although that will take rapid capital and proper care of probation works. We want stability for staff in all locations with restorations of proper terms and conditions for all staff contracts. We want to see a return to trade union recognitions and negotiating terms, position properly staff engagement than continue with the mess they have created.

Torquay staff want a building fit for use. All staff need a reassurance things are in hand to fix the collapsing situation. We need to restore proper HR functions that look to resolve than to engage in argument over good staff practices and treatment.

The list goes on and we continue in NAPO SSW branch to maintain your rights and terms. Things are not much better in many situations across the NPS but we continue to do our best against some of the backward looking views we receive from that sector. Whatever the pressures or attacks on the SSW branch, we will continue to do our best for you whatever it takes!

Next year is going to be very challenging given what we have learned in the closing of 2018 an awful year. We note the Christmas message from the Working links way is more work and work harder for 2019. Well that cannot be sustained as we all realise the MSC variation is to see all offenders 1-1 and will require increased new staff resources and at some point has to be funded. Existing unrealistic staff workload ratio has now to be addressed.

No annual pay increase from Working Links as they refuse to engage any discussions with the Unions. The ruination of probation work for targets low pay appalling conditions withdrawing of terms hiding away the policies for several years and always making negative decisions is what are fast becoming the undoing of arguably the worst of all contract holders.

Member all that remains for me to do is to thank you for your support in the toughest of times throughout this year. The fantastic Executive of the SSW who make the Chairs role a real privilege to serve them. Our members in need of the branch support and for their trust in us.

Our SSW membership will be aware of some of the difficulties this executive has faced during the year. Relations with management continue to decline and the nature of personal cases are more acrimonious under the privatisation controls. Against a background of the issues that led to the Certification officer complaints Napo were wrong and have to date still not produced one letter of contrition or apologised. A special thanks To Dave Rogan who we all know is tireless and still working hard for peoples rights as we do in the SSW branch .

For the rest of your 2018 in whatever way you celebrate during this season period have the best time you can in the break. Enjoy the rest where possible and next year, let us all hope together the deliverance we need comes sooner than later and we will do our best to bring that about whatever that takes.

Dino Peros
NAPO SSW Branch Chair