5 May 2011
Dead bodies could start piling up, strip clubs could be set up on any street corner and vulnerable children could be left without care if the government goes ahead with proposals to cut a series of duties on councils, Unison has warned.
The public service union has drawn up a list of ‘crazy cuts’ that would leave communities exposed if the Department for Communities and Local Government abolishes the 1,200 legal duties central government has imposed on councils.
Eric Pickles, the communities secretary, and Greg Clark, the decentralisation minister, have invited local authorities and the public to say which are ‘unnecessary burdens’ that could be repealed.
But Unison head of local government Heather Wakefield warned: ‘If the Tories press ahead with their race to scrap the so-called “red-tape”, they could see bodies pile up on the street, as nobody has responsibility for mortuaries. We could see gas safety fall and recycling schemes dry up. Unregulated taxis could prowl the streets and strip clubs set up on any street corner.’
The union is worried that the government wants to reduce the number of statutory duties on councils to make it easier for local authorities to make cuts and outsource services.
