Agenda item

5.1

Petition in respect of Zero Hour Contracts

A petition, containing 2,158 signatures, was submitted which stated:-

‘We are calling on you to ensure that Council funded services do not employ people on zero hours contracts. Under these contracts workers have no guarantee of their working hours from one day to the next. Many care workers are being exploited by these contracts which are also undermining the quality of care they are able to provide to many vulnerable people.

Sheffield Council is putting in place a Fairness Framework, not using zero hour contracts must be part of this. In taking action Sheffield can set an example to other local authorities and central government to take action on this important issue.’

RESOLVED: That the petition be referred to the Cabinet Members for Finance and Resources and Health, Care and Independent Living for consideration.

5.2

Public Question in respect of the Streets Ahead Contract

Mr Nigel Slack referred to a previous question he had asked at the Cabinet meeting held on 8 May in respect of the review of the Final Business case for the Streets Ahead Contract. At that meeting he was informed that a review needed to be undertaken in order to redact some information due to commercial sensitivity and that this would be completed by the end of June 2013. He therefore asked for a revised timescale for when this would be completed?

Councillor Bryan Lodge, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, stated that he could not currently provide a timescale for completion. Officers were working on this at the present time and the information would be released once this had been completed.

5.3

Public Question in respect of Zero Hours Contracts

Mr Nigel Slack referred to the 307,000 workers nationally who were currently employed on zero hours contracts. Those employed on these contracts had no guarantee of work and had to live in a state of constant uncertainty as well as suffering reduced levels of employees rights and difficulty in accessing benefits. The cuts currently taking place nationally incentivised the use of staff on zero hours contracts. He therefore asked if the City Council employed anyone on these contracts and, if so how many? He also asked if any contractors employed staff on zero hours contracts and questioned whether economics took precedence over ethics in these circumstances?

Councillor Julie Dore, Leader of the Council, responded that the Council was currently having to implement unprecedented Government cuts which would impact on all services. If these cuts continued by 2017 the Council would only have funding for statutory services such as care for adults and children.

Economics were not more important than ethical concerns but with the budget as it was the Council needed to provide the best services it could to meet the needs of people. Although they were opposed to the Government cuts, the Council was working with them to Stand up for Sheffield in respect of Integrated Health Care and had secured funding in that respect.

Councillor Dore stated that she was not aware of anyone being employed by the Council on zero hours contracts. Where the Council had control over who they employed, it paid the Living Wage and would endeavour to rule out the use of zero hours contracts. However, it was important that, when working with contractors, the Council worked to ensure the best service was provided with the money available.

Councillor Bryan Lodge also stated that he was not aware of anyone employed by the Council on zero hours contracts. When looking at tendering and contracting out services one of the criteria was to seek information from the company on their intentions to work towards paying a Living Wage to their employees.

Councillor Mary Lea, Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Independent Living, stated that she would provide Mr Slack with the number of those employed on zero hours contracts. This was clearly a national issue as well as a local one. The Council was working closely with Trade Unions and Providers to improve terms and conditions for staff. Real Time Monitoring had been introduced to monitor care.

Councillor Lea added that value for money was key and the Council was working to see how this could be improved. Guaranteed hours was one of the incentives that the Council wanted contractors to work towards.