A letter to council candidates

With the local elections now just 11days away the branch has written to as many council candidates as we could get contact email contact information for, we have not included candidates who represent the National Front and when we reciee a response we will post the comments here. Dear Council candidate Our Members wish to make informed choices at the local council elections next week. With this in mind I am sending these questions to as many candidates as possible. We realise this a busy time but the Aberdeen City Branch of Unison would appreciate your answers to the following questions. We with your permission will publish responses on our blog. In order that our members have all the information they require. 1. How will you protect public services? 2. Will you oppose any proposals for privatisation of key council services? 3. With budgets going down, how will you protect standards in social care? 4. How can you ensure that the amount of personalisation or self-directed payments are at a level for elderly or disabled people to purchase an adequate amount of care? 5. Should everyone delivering public services - council staff and those working for contractors - be paid the Living Wage? 6. Will you recognise the contribution made to our children’s education by classroom assistants by supporting them in opposing cutbacks? 7. Will you oppose the 3,000 planned job losses among police staffs? 8. What will you do to lessen the impact of the UK Government’s Welfare Reforms which will see many families losing entitlement to a range of benefits including council tax benefit, housing benefit and working tax credits? 9. Do you think it’s fair that council staff should have their pay frozen while inflation is high and the rich are getting richer? 10. Will you support the council negotiating a Green Workplace agreement with trade unions to help meet climate change targets? thanks in advance karen Karen Davidson Secretary Unison Aberdeen City