Does the City Council have a No Redundancy Policy?

As Labour's Environment spokesperson on Dundee City Council, I am concerned about the news of redundancies at DERL. My concern comes about as the council is a major shareholder, funder and client of DERL that this sends out the message that redundancies are acceptable and that it may represent a breach in the council's long-standing no redundancy policy.


I note from media reports that DERL is planning on making staff redundant. I am clear that Dundee City Council has a key role to play here as a major funder, shareholder and client of DERL I wonder whether DERL can be considered to be truly independent of Dundee City Council? If the council has a no redundancy policy, as it does, why does this not apply to DERL?

The City Council across all the political parties has made it clear that jobs are a top priority and this is in the best interests of the city. If a company was planning to make 20 people redundant the council would be looking to help and looking at ways to prevent job losses. It seems strange that the City Council appears to be complicit in job losses in this case. I wonder whether the council couldn't have found alternative employment for DERL employees for the duration of the shut down at DERL. I have raised my concerns with the City Council's Chief Executive and I am looking forward to hearing from him on this matter. I am concerned that this action really brings the City Councils no redundancy plan into question.


I am clear that bringing jobs to Dundee and defending the jobs that are already here is the main way to bring prosperity to the city and that it should be the top priority of everyone in the City Council.