The Pembrokeshire branch of UNISON has launched a petition against plans by the County Council to outsource its libraries, leisure centres, sports pitches, museums, archives and arts development.

The first of a series of public consultation meetings to discuss future options in the delivery of leisure, culture and tourism services in Pembrokeshire was held last night in Crymych.

In the face of unprecedented budget reductions over the next few years, the County Council is considering alternative ways to deliver these services in order to safeguard them for the future.

UNISON has been busy collecting signatures and support at the Pembrokeshire County Show, in workplaces and across the local community, stating that outsourcing will mean local people will no longer have any say over how these crucial services will be run in their community, and also that hundreds of jobs are at risk.

Branch secretary, Vic Dennis said: “The Council has just spent thousands of pounds getting another consultant in, this time to recommend that they form a charitable trust to run these services and give away the services that they currently fully control. The changes will affect as many as 400 people and we know a charitable trust will look to make savings by depressing wages and weakening basic employment conditions.

“We believe that services are best delivered directly by the Council. These services contribute to the health and well-being of our community, give people free access to knowledge as well as helping us understand and appreciate our heritage and culture.

“We are preparing a campaign on social media and encouraging people to write to their county councillors. We know that Welsh local authorities are under intolerable pressures because of the Conservative government’s cruel austerity cuts and we will also be lobbying our MPs. However, outsourcing is a short-term solution to budget pressures and it will sacrifice popular services that serve people of all ages.

“We want the entire local community to get behind the campaign to Save our Local Services. If we lose these services to a charitable trust they will be gone from local democratic control forever.”

Further details of the campaign will appear online and on UNISON’s Pembrokeshire County Facebook page.

Members of the public can also join the campaign to Save our Local Services by calling the UNISON office on 01437 775680.

The County Council have commissioned Winckworth Sherwood, a London based legal business practice to produce a report looking at a range of alternative delivery models for a number of service areas. The options reviewed were: In-house / status quo; Creating a Local Authority Controlled Trading Company; Creating a mutual or co-operative entity; Open competitive tender to private or voluntary sector; Establishing a new locally created charitable entity (often termed an ‘NPDO’ Non-profit distributing organisation or ‘Trust’).

The consultants believe that the most appropriate is to establish a new locally created charitable Trust to manage the culture and leisure portfolio, with a separate wholly managed subsidiary to manage tourism.

The report highlights that while the new entity would be an independent organisation from PCC and the Authority would only maintain influence over the trust.

“We are asking the community, service users and other stakeholders to help inform the decision-making process” said PCC’s deputy Leader, Keith Lewis.

Further public meetings have been arranged around the county over the next few weeks from 6.30 pm to 8 pm as follows

• Tenby Leisure Centre, Tuesday, 23rd August

• Milford Haven Leisure Centre, Thursday 25th August

• Fishguard Leisure Centre, Thursday 1st September

• Haverfordwest Leisure Centre, Monday 5th September

• Pembroke Dock Library, Monday 12th September.

The public meetings are just part of the consultation process.

Another way to participate is to visit the Council’s website at: www.pembrokeshire/gov.uk

Alternatively, ring the Council’s Customer Contact Centre on 01437 764551 and ask for a hard copy of the consultation to be posted.

The deadline for responses is Friday, 16th September.