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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 20 August 2009
 
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

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@thecnj.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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