Don Mackenzie, Leader of Harrogate Borough Council has issued a statement today, at 1pm, regarding today’s strike action, which is affecting public sector workers nationwide.
Leader of Harrogate Borough Council, Don Mackenzie said:
I am pleased to confirm that many of Harrogate Borough Council’s employees decided to come into work early this morning as usual.
All Directors are at work and all meetings with Cabinet members scheduled for today have taken place this morning, and will go ahead this afternoon.
We have an almost full complement of staff in our waste and recycling team, and we expect black bags of waste, and bins, boxes and bags of recycling materials to be collected as usual today.
Our museums and leisure facilities are almost all open although they are subject to shift working so that situation may change from time to time.
Our administrative offices are all open and a good percentage of staff are on duty. Our planning enquiries desk is open as are our car parks. Civil enforcement officers are patrolling our streets. Only our Shopmobility service is suspended for the day, and I apologise to those customers who had hoped to use it.
Our CCTV cameras are working and recording as usual although we are missing personnel.
Our Economic Development Unit is fully staffed.
The Director of HIC was at his desk in the Conference Centre at 06.45am in preparation for an important 800-delegate medical conference today, and reported that almost all the staff had turned up to ensure that this important event went ahead as booked.
Whilst I understand that many of our employees feel very strongly about the subject of their pensions, I do not support strike action, which affects our residents and taxpayers, amongst whose number are many who are also facing severe challenges in this period of economic difficulties.
On the other hand, I am very grateful to the many employees, who have come into work today, and who are helping us to continue to provide excellent services to our residents as usual.
