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Morale of caretakers is tested by stress of ‘trial’
• SADLY the morale of most of Camden’s housing caretakers is not good.
This follows the uncertainty of last year’s reorganisation and it is now especially low for our colleagues and their residents who are undergoing the stressful trials of the pilot scheme with the private contractor (Veolia), in the West Hampstead district.
So we are sure that you can understand the reactions, ranging from anger to shock and disbelief, that were felt on reading your news in brief (Private firm to clean estates, October 9) announcing that a private cleaning contractor will show us how to do a proper job!
Of course, we don’t know the origin of the brief or whether it was intended to be mischievous or just plan vindictive. But in the housing survey that it referred to, the consensus was not to privatise the housing caretaking service and to retain Camden’s caretakers’ current duties.
It was felt that using a contractor specialised in street cleaning would not be suitable, or perhaps responsible, for the health and safety of Camden’s housing estates.
Through past experience our residents understand that the unnecessary fragmentation and privatisation of essential public services is neither cost effective nor an efficient long-term solution to improving services.
The way forward should be clear.
Instead of running down the service, any available funds should be used to support the existing teams of experienced hard working British Institute of Cleaning-certificated Camden housing caretakers.
Job vacancies should be filled and more in-house estate cleaners’ posts created.
Part of a caretaker’s duty is to monitor the work of outside contractors and report back, so we have an understanding of how some private contractors operate.
We feel that it is possible that during the 12-month trial period in West Hampstead, Veolia will naturally do their best to impress, despite their lack of experience of estate work. But what sort of service would they be able on offer if they eventually manage to add the whole of the Camden caretaking service to their monopoly of cleaning services?
We strongly feel that this trial should be brought to an end as soon as possible.
LIZ WHEATLEY,
Deputy Camden Unison Convener, Dave Gingold, Stuart Doran,
Dave Halsey
Caretaking Shop stewards Camden Town Branch
Cleaning pilot to run for a year
• I WRITE regarding your news in brief item (Private firm to clean estates, October 9) which related to the Camden Council’s pilot scheme for the external cleaning of estates.
You inaccurately stated that a “council survey found caretakers were not doing the job properly”.
In no way is Camden Council suggesting that caretakers have not been doing their jobs properly.
Camden has many excellent caretakers and, indeed, the excellent work of two of our caretaking supervisors was recently recognised with an Outstanding Service to Camden Award.
However, an extensive review of the caretaking service, started in July 2006, found that satisfaction with cleanliness on external areas of estates lagged behind satisfaction with cleaning in other parts of the borough, where cleaning is already carried out by Veolia.
Last year, approximately 20 per cent of social housing sites were found to be of an unacceptable standard.
So the caretaking pilot – in Kilburn, Swiss Cottage and West Hampstead wards – involves testing the performance of Veolia in external cleaning.
In the pilot area we will continue to use caretakers’ specialist skills, allowing them to have a greater focus on helping the people who live on their estates – the most important part of their job.
Removing the external cleaning from their day-to-day duties means they can concentrate on services central to their role such as health and safety, internal cleaning and supporting vulnerable residents.
The pilot is expected to run for 12 months.
A review will be conducted after six months at which stage a satisfaction survey will be carried out to measure effectiveness.
Resident feedback will be critical in making any decisions about rolling the changes out across the borough.
CLLR JAMES KING
Executive Member Community Safety and Housing Services
No way to spend cash
• I HAVE been a caretaker for 23 years.
For Camden to bring in Veolia to clean up our so-called estates is way out of the question.
The money this will cost us should have been used to employ more caretakers and not given to outside contractors.
Remember Camden sold out the dustmen and road sweepers to Onyx, who then went on to lose the contract.
Doesn’t the council ever learn?
There have been caretakers around for many years and suddenly they cannot do their jobs properly!
It just sounds like another round of cut-backs and savings.
The money should be made by getting rid of managers and not front-line staff.
Why don’t the council ask the real people – the tenants –what they want?
name and address supplied
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