Council ‘acting like Dad’s Army’ over privatisation

COUNCIL chiefs have been accused of behaving like “a bizarre cross between Dad’s Army and the KGB”.

UNISON claims the council refused to publish details of a survey by MORI on the council’s privatisation plans, saying it would “prejudice, substantially, the council’s ability to conduct its affairs” but council leader Jenny Dawe went on to reveal the details, along with details of the confidential bidding process to run the city’s refuse collection, in an article.

Peter Hunter, of UNISON, said: “This privatisation process would be farcical if it weren’t so serious.

“The council are combining the openness of the KGB with the competence of Dad’s Army. They keep information from the public, gag trade union negotiators with confidentiality agreements, but feel free to leak things to the press.”

A council spokesman said: “The council is taking this process extremely seriously given the importance of the issues concerned and Unison’s attempt to diminish this by the use of such inflammatory language is both disappointing and unhelpful.

“The fact is that Unison are being given open access to a wealth of material, including the survey to which they refer, and this is exactly the same level of access as is afforded to elected members on the council.”