LIFELINE FOR 400 TAX STAFF
Extra jobs to be retained at Centre 1
A hard-fought battle to keep thousands of tax office jobs in East Kilbride has been given fresh hope.
The Stay in EK Campaign, spearheaded by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and supported by the News, welcomed an announcement by HMRC that they would keep 400 extra posts at the town’s Centre 1 office until 2026.
HMRC plan to axe their Plaza office in 2021 and Centre 1 in 2026 with operations based at a regional centre in Glasgow, with the loss of 2700 jobs from East Kilbride.
The PCS and local politicians have consistently hit out at the relocation proposals.
And they insisted this week that the fight will go on in a bid to keep HMRC’s operation in the town.
PCS East Kilbride branch president Scott Clark said: “We broadly welcome the announcement which will mean more members are able to continue their careers for longer with HMRC.
“But we call on HMRC and the Westminster Government to show some common sense and halt these office closures, particularly when the country doesn’t know what type of Brexit we are heading for or indeed what Brexit will mean for public services as a whole.”
The Stay in EK campaign which is battling to keep thousands of tax jobs in the town has received a massive boost.
HMRC plan to axe the Plaza office in 2021 and Centre 1 in 2026 with operations based at a regional centre in Glasgow.
And this will see East Kilbride lose around 2700 jobs.
However, in changes announced last week, HMRC say they will now keep 1500 staff at the transitional site in Centre 1 at the point when the regional centre has opened – 400 more than the 1000 previously stated when restructuring plans were announced in 2016.
The move has been welcomed by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), who are spearheading the Stay in EK campaign, which is supported by the News.
But they – along with local politicians – are continuing to call on the Tory government in Westminster to halt the closures.
PCS East Kilbride branch president Scott Clark said: “We broadly welcome the announcement which will mean more members are able to continue their careers for longer with HMRC.
“PCS has consistently voiced our concerns that the numbers in the Glasgow region did not add up and we see these incremental changes as, in part, both a result and a vindication of the campaigning that will continue to take place in offices across the country.
“Today, over 4500 staff work in HMRC across East Kilbride, Glasgow and Cumbernauld.
“Management are currently asking part-time staff to consider increasing their hours to full-time over the next quarter as current resources simply cannot meet demand.
“We call on HMRC and the Westminster Government to show some common sense and halt these office closures, particularly when the country doesn’t know what type of Brexit we are heading for or, indeed, what Brexit will mean for public services as a whole.
“The Glasgow Regional Centre has room for 2870 staff by 2026. 4500 into 2870 does not equal a job for everyone. You don’t have to be a tax officer to find the flaw in that formula.”
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahgow SNP MP Dr Lisa Cameron said: “I am having regular meetings with PCS at Westminster on this reserved issue, and we are challenging the Tory government every step of the way – with the key aim of protecting and retaining our essential HMRC jobs in East Kilbride.
“I am pleased that a further 400 jobs will remain in EK to 2025/26.
“However, our fight for Centre 1 to Stay in EK continues, and I have submitted further written parliamentary questions this week to challenge the Tory government plans to relocate.
“Also, I am writing to the HMRC chief executive in terms of protecting local jobs.”
East Kilbride SNP MSP Linda Fabiani said: “Whilst it is welcome news that there will be around 400 FTE [full-time equivalent] workers at Queensway House during the transitional period than originally planned in 2016, we cannot lose sight of the fact that by 2026, there will no longer be an HMRC presence in the town. “It will still be a devastating blow. “I share concerns with PCS that the new site in Glasgow will not be big enough to accommodate all existing staff at sites in Cumbernauld and East Kilbride, and I will be seeking further assurances that all staff in East Kilbride can continue to have employment once the transition is complete.
“I remain opposed to HMRC’s Building our Future’s programme, which was published prior to the European Union Referendum, and does not reflect tax-collecting needs post-Brexit.
“I will do all I can to support local workers and continue to press the UK Government to listen to concerns and act accordingly before it is too late.”
Labour’s Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon wants the relocation plan scrapped.
“I am pleased that the Stay in EK campaign has been successful in keeping some HMRC jobs here for longer,” she said.
“This demonstrates why we need strong trades unions and I commend PCS union for the way it has fought for its members.
“Around 1500 workers and their families have a few more years of security and that is positive, but the planned relocation of all 2700 posts from East Kilbride by 2026 is nothing short of a crisis for a town that has witnessed a string of retail closures this year alone.
“HMRC must go further and scrap its plans to leave East Kilbride.”
Tory MSP Graham Simpson insists work continues to get the “best deal.”
He said: “I received an update on this from HMRC chief executive Jon Thompson last week confirming what the union are saying and that is that there is no change to the plans for East Kilbride.
“That’s disappointing but the good news is that we now expect 1500 HMRC staff to be based at Queensway House, 400 more than previously planned.
“HMRC have also said that if someone can get to a regional centre, transitional site or specialist site and has the skills they need or is able to develop them, there will be a role for them and making the transitional site larger gives them the flexibility to make sure colleagues can stay longer.
“I have discussions with Secretary of State David Mundell and will continue to press for the best deal for EK.”
We cannot lose sight of the fact that by 2026 there will no longer be an HMRC presence in the town...