Over a thousand staff at a Yorkshire council could transfer to work under a private company next year as part of an ongoing outsourcing plan.
Wakefield Council is currently in negotiations with firms Carillion, Cofely Workplace and Interserve over a deal to run town hall services including those provided to local schools.
A report put to the local authority’s modern public services overview and scrutiny committee said the deal would have a ‘significant impact on staff’ as around 1,200 would transfer to the new partner under TUPE regulations.
The partnership with one of the three outsourcing giants could begin as early as next April once Wakefield’s cabinet selects a successful bid in four months’ time.
Wakefield’s property and facilities management services will come under control of the selected firm, in moves expected to affect school meals, building cleaning and architectural design.
The report said: ‘In the context of significant budget pressures on the council the partnership is aimed at protecting as many jobs as possible over the period of the partnership and securing more jobs in the district in the future through business development and growth.
‘Services provided to schools will be enhanced through improved customer focus and a wider choice of packaged and integrated services. The framework being developed for schools to purchase from should they so wish will provide assurance that services are value for money and market competitive.’
