Paul Couchman, Surrey Unison member and LG rep to Unison regional committee, personal capacity
On 17 and 18 October, around 75 Unison activists gathered for the annual regional local government (LG) AGM and conference in Woking.
Surrey County Branch won the award for ‘best branch campaign’ due to our battle over pay, achieving an agreement for Surrey County Council to go back to national bargaining.
There was a series of discussions on issues including local government reorganisation (LGR), organising migrant workers, and LG funding and cuts. In both the sessions, on LGR and on funding, the issue of Unison’s link to the Labour Party would not go away – much to the chagrin of the regional officials.
After over 15 years of austerity and over a year of a Labour government, the jobs and services massacre shows no signs of letting up. Council funding in almost every area of the UK is at crisis levels.
The funding gap (between what a council needs to continue running current services and the amount of money it receives) across England, Wales and Scotland is predicted to reach £4.1 billion in 2026-27, with an estimated cumulative shortfall of £7.4 billion over 2026-28. In England alone, these figures are £3.4 billion in 2026-27 and £6 billion over 2026-28.
At least 30 English councils have been forced to seek ‘exceptional’ financial support from government in the past 12 months – a figure that means such demands are no longer exceptional. Seven councils have issued ‘section 114’ notices, allowing government-appointed commissioners (on £1,000 each per day) to effectively take over any decisions on spending.
In Surrey, three of the district councils currently being considered for merger into a new unitary, single-tier authority (Woking, Spelthorne and Surrey Heath) are in the top ten of largest funding gaps in England. Woking tops the list with a £170 million funding gap this year.
These are just numbers – huge numbers – but what they represent is cuts. Cuts already taking place and cuts planned. Cuts in jobs and in essential services.
Unfortunately, the only current answer from the Unison leadership is to write to our MPs, talk to councillors, arrange lobbies etc.
Review Unison’s political funds
Delegate after delegate questioned why we are still affiliated to, and funding, the Labour Party when they are overseeing this crisis. Why Labour councillors are meekly voting through cuts and austerity in the council chambers. Why Unison branches are not allowed to support candidates who will support Unison policies, refuse to vote for cuts, and pursue needs-led, no-cuts budgets.
When I raised that all the delegates in the room should stand for election next year on this basis where possible, there was a round of applause followed by an animated discussion as to how we could do this. Nothing in Unison’s rules prevents members from standing.
I mentioned the petition recently launched by ‘Unison members for a new party’ and suggested delegates sign it and get involved. The petition calls for a full review of Unison’s political funds so that all members can democratically decide how that money is spent.
Unison members are moving a model motion in branches which notes that “the 2025 Unison annual report stated that only 16% of members paid into the Labour Link fund. This clearly shows that affiliation to Labour is no longer a fundamental ‘Aim and Objective’ for Unison members.”
- Sign the petition ‘Labour’s not our party! Let Unison members decide our political choices’ at change.org
- The full model motions in Unison and other unions can be found at tusc.org.uk
- Socialist Party members in Unison support Andrea Egan in the Unison general secretary election
