Greens react as Labour Council pursues controversial Royal Pavilion and Museums proposals

 

Controversial new arrangements for the Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust have been voted through by the Labour Council despite staff concerns. (See report, below).


Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, convenor of the Green Group of Councillors, commented:

“As far back as 2015 Greens raised that transferring staff from the Royal Pavilion and Museums into a new arrangement with Brighton Dome and Festival Trust would need to be handled sensitively and through proper, extensive consultation. We said staff would need assurances on the process involved, the living wage, pensions and their terms and conditions. In the last few weeks staff and unions have made it painfully clear that instead of addressing these issues, the Labour leadership of the Council has been asleep at the wheel.

“Coming to committee today, the Leader of the Council claimed to want to ‘take account’ of staff views. But in fact his actions betray that he has dismissed the legitimate concerns of the dedicated and passionate workforce of the Royal Pavilion and Museums who have asked for the process to be halted. Labour has had time to adjust their proposals, but has chosen to plough ahead – a decision that can only see the relationship with staff significantly worsen.

“Failing to engage with staff is far from the Labour Council’s mantra of ‘getting the basics right’ – in fact, it is nothing short of repeat and abject failure to take political responsibility for their decisions.”

1] Report on Royal Pavilion Trust Arrangements as submitted to Policy, Resources and Growth Committee, 25th January:

http://phantom.brighton-hove.gov.uk/Published/C00000912/M00006706/AI00064683/$20180117094648_015870_0055185_FINALRoyalPavilionandMuseumsTrustArrangementsv21.docxA.ps.pdf

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