County councillor George Nobbs, concerned about anti social behavious in Norwich's landmark Millennium Library at The Forum; Photo: Bill Smith; Copy: Shaun Lowthorpe; For: EDP; Archant Â© 2008; 01603 772434

Workers at Norfolk County Council-owned Norse Homecare told of redundancies

Victoria Leggett Friday, February 10, 2012
1:40 PM

Carers working for a county council company have been told their jobs are to go because there is no longer enough work for them.

Norse Homecare employs 25 people to help the elderly and others entitled to social services support in their own homes across Norfolk.

But this week they were told all jobs would be made redundant because the council’s new personalised budget system has reduced the number of care contracts available.

Instead, they will all be offered alternative roles within Norse – as carers in its care homes and “housing with care” for sister company Norse Care or by moving to another area. Some could also transfer to other care providers in the county.

Alison Allen, commercial director for Norse, said staff had been informed on Monday and discussions with them, unions and users of the service had begun. She said: “We are hoping, whilst it’s not a happy position for them to make a move, there are jobs for them.” But George Nobbs, leader of the Labour group at County Hall, pictured, said he was concerned by the decision to axe the jobs.

He said: “This does not square with the often-repeated claim by cabinet member David Harwood that the council’s priority is to protect front-line services.”

Norse Homecare deals with “spot contracts” for the elderly in their homes, picking up individual contracts which other “block contract” providers – with a guaranteed number of hours of work – cannot cater for.

But Mrs Allen said the introduction of personalised budgets – where people choose how to spend their social services entitlement – has reduced the amount of in-home care needed.

Current users of Norse Homecare will be supported as they move over to other providers. The company expects the process to take months to complete with Norse workers staying with them until then.

8 comments

Albert cooper are you my uncle.my nan lived at west runton

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maureenmarney@aol.com

Sunday, February 12, 2012
Please sort the wheat from the chaff, there are good and there are bad, also sad to say very bad, would be a shame to find that a good working concisenesses worker has gone and just a salary taker in their place.

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Paul Platten

Sunday, February 12, 2012
Tolerance is a virtue and I am sure you have tem all PDH Oh to be perfect like you !!

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Albert Cooper

Saturday, February 11, 2012
A library should be a facility for reading and lending of books and not a circus of people dossing down,moblie phones ringing,youths running around "its playtime"

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Albert Cooper

Saturday, February 11, 2012
Slightly confused by what Albert is reading post is not about the forum and there has clearly been an error with the wrong picture being attached to the story. Simple Human Error. Hey but why let that get in the way of a good moan. Tolearance is a virtue.

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PDH

Saturday, February 11, 2012
Albert, it's a forum. What do you expect? Shhhhhhhhhh!!!

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micklynn

Saturday, February 11, 2012
? does the caption under the picture match this report as it is not mentioned ??

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stephen watson

Saturday, February 11, 2012
I am in total agreement with George Nobbs in regard to the anto social activity at the Forum and th Library within.Moblie Phones should be switched in the Library and Reading area with Signage requesting this to be doneThere are youths running around as though an after school socail club,playing cards,making too much noise,and outside the Forum its much worse.Councillor George Nobbs can see sense ! is he alone ?

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Albert Cooper

Friday, February 10, 2012