Blackpool Council have today released 2022/23 Budget Proposals.  The earlier forecast £14M budget gap now stands at £8.6M following the Government settlement figure & budgets being reviewed.

This means the Council are not imposing any Compulsory Redundancies although up to 15 temporary contracts will come to an expected end. The voluntary redundancy scheme will run, and services are expected to make other savings.

There is a plan to increase car parking charges which will affect staff who use the pass scheme however, the service has pledged to allow staff to buy their pass at the current rate for a limited time.

The Council’s Executive Committee will meet on Monday 7th February to agree the Budget Proposals.

You can read more at the Blackpool Gazette website.

Dear Members

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

FRIDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2022, 12.30pm - 13.30pm

MONDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2022, 17.30pm - 18.30pm

UNISON's Blackpool Local Government Branch members are warmly invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of your UNISON branch which will take place via virtual meeting over 2 dates. Although you only need to attend one of these meetings, please register for at least one via the links below. The password for both events is ‘AGM2022’. Once you register at Eventbrite, a link for the meeting will be emailed out nearer to the date. All who attend will be entered into a prize draw.  The prize will be announced soon.

Friday 25th February 2022 - from 12.30 to 13.30 - Click here to register for session 1

Monday 28th February 2022 - from 17.30 to 18.30 - Click here to register for session 2

The Annual General Meeting will elect your Branch Officers, Representatives and ratify the election of Workplace Stewards for the forthcoming year. The preliminary agenda is available here. If you wish to submit a motion, please send it to the Branch Office, with the name of the proposer and seconder by no later than Thursday 23rd December 2021.

A nomination form for Branch Officers, Representatives and Workplace Stewards is available to print off from here. Alternatively, you can contact the Branch Office on 01253 478492 and we will post out a nomination form to you.

If you wish to stand for a position in the branch, please ensure that your nomination form is received at the Branch Office by no later than noon on Thursday 23rd December 2021.


Yours sincerely

Neil Adams
Branch Secretary

Win a Samsung Smart TV or equivalent value prize^{2 4}

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we are again unable to hold our usual Annual General Meeting (AGM) with food and entertainment.  Instead, we are holding virtual AGM meetings and instead of our usual raffle we are offering attendees the chance to win something a bit more special.  A Smart TV!! ^{2 4}

How do you enter?  All members^{1 3} who attend either AGM meeting will be entered into the prize draw which will be drawn at random.

Please use the links below to register^{1 3} for one or both AGM meetings, which will be held via Zoom.  Zoom is accessible from a council laptop.  Use the password AGM2022 when asked during registration:

Friday 25th February 2022 - from 12.30 to 13.30
https://unison-blackpool-agm-2022-s1.eventbrite.co.uk

Monday 28th February 2022 - from 17.30 to 18.30
https://unison-blackpool-agm-2022-s2.eventbrite.co.uk

We will send out joining instructions for Zoom nearer the time.

¹ UNISON Blackpool Local Government Branch members only.
² or a prize of your choice up to £500 in value.  Please note, we are unable to offer a cash alternative due to HMRC rules.
³ Not a member? Why not join UNISON now and be in with a chance of winning? Go to https://www.blackpoolunison.co.uk/join to find out more.
⁴ The winner will be required to have their photo taken with their prize (or provide one) so it can be included in the branch communications.