West Dunbartonshire Council’s Labour administration has voted in opposition to a movement that will have seen jobs at WD Leisure secured for not less than the following three years.
SNP member for Kilpatrick Gordon Scanlan had submitted a movement to final week’s full assembly of the native authority calling proposed workers losses “unacceptable” and warning the thought has “brought about misery, and negatively impacted belief and goodwill in senior administration.”
It beneficial the Belief implement a moratorium on any organisational restructure which might lead to job losses for the following three years.
Earlier this yr we informed how a leisure belief whistleblower had warned a deliberate discount in workers would have “a major affect” on companies.
Deliberate cuts would see a 5.5 full-time equal (FTE) workers lower, nevertheless, WDC say that is offset by present vacancies – lowering the affect to 2.6FTE.
A ‘sport and exercise crew’ could be shaped to run native initiatives, together with the Loch Lomond 10k and sport vacation camps.
Nonetheless, Councillor Scanlan’s movement was defeated by 11 votes to 9 in favour of a Labour modification that famous the movement, however mentioned that no motion could be taken whereas a session on the proposed cuts was ongoing.
That was regardless of Labour saying throughout hustings that they'd look to reverse deliberate cuts to the belief.
Former council chief Jonathan McColl mentioned: “I believed that this may obtain cross-party assist. It appears loopy to me that while we improve the Leisure Belief’s administration price we're proposing cuts to companies. It is mindless.
“We’ve additionally acquired remark from sportscotland saying that the proposals put ahead aren’t workable due to the best way companies are funded.
“The entire thing is a shambles. These proposals must be stopped. The workers must be given some consolation about their jobs and the group must be given consolation concerning the companies being supplied.
“It was one thing all of us agreed on throughout the public hustings within the lead as much as the election. It appears unusual that we don’t have unanimity of assist now.”
And his issues had been echoed by fellow SNP member Karen Conaghan, who added: “Covid has had an affect on wellbeing in our group and it’s completely loopy to do one thing that would hurt that.
“I believed we'd have cross-party assist for one thing that exhibits our communities that their well being and wellbeing is valued.”
Nonetheless Labour’s David McBride, who sits on the Leisure Belief board, mentioned he could be supporting his social gathering’s modification – as he outlined the monetary challenges dealing with the belief. The Dumbarton member mentioned: “During the last 12 months £742,000 has been utilised from the Leisure Belief’s reserves due to misplaced revenue.
“The Leisure Belief at the moment has 80 p.c of its revenue from earlier than the pandemic. I’m not expressing an opinion, however I wished to make clear the monetary scenario the belief is at the moment underneath.”
Labour’s modification was handed by 11 votes to 9.