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Little thought for social costs of replacing our caretakers
• I WAS both saddened and pleased to read about caretakers’ plans to mount a legal challenge against Camden Council (Caretakers plan legal fight, August 13).
Veolia ploughed extra resources into a “local trial” on just six estates to win round residents. No further consultation took place across any of Camden’s 15 other wards. As a result of their “great job”, Veolia “won” a contract void of any competitive tendering process.
The council is now looking to axe a quarter of caretaker posts and double the size of patches covered by the remaining caretaker team.
At a public meeting of tenants and residents, UNISON trade union reps made a heartfelt plea on behalf of their members.
There was support for the caretakers from all in attendance, bar a handful of mute Liberal Democrat sitting at the back.
Our caretakers play an invaluable role in the community. The council’s decision may make “commercial sense” saving a purported £109,000 by replacing 40 caretakers with visiting cleaners. But there seems to have been little, if any thought for the untold social costs which will result.
I fully support the legal fight.
Camden’s Caretakers provide an irreplaceable service and they should stay where they are.
LUCIANA BERGER
NW1
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