Guardians’ boss to offer ‘realistic’ pay

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service hopes to
make staff a “realistic” pay offer, despite its financial
woes.

In an interview with Community Care last week, chief
executive Anthony Douglas said emergency measures had lowered a
projected overspend of £4m for 2005-6.

He now hopes to make staff a “realistic offer”, with pay
negotiations expected to start next week.

In a letter to Douglas last week, unions Napo and Unison reiterated
warnings that a serious dispute would be inevitable if Cafcass made
an “unacceptable offer”.

Douglas also said that Cafcass’s financial troubles had not yet led
to an increase in case backlogs. But he added that it would have to
increase spending in 2006-7 on training, IT infrastructure and
salaries, saying that Cafcass’s pay was “very uncompetitive” in
some areas.

If the government grant increased by no more than inflation next
year it would necessitate a smaller, more productive workforce, he
said.

This month Douglas will publish a strategy for reforming working
practices.