Unite has launched a fierce onslaught against a decision by Southampton City Council leaders to involve outsourcing firm Capita in talks for it to become a ‘commissioning council' by 2015.

The trade union argues the council is pushing through, without public consultation, controversial proposals that risk reducing service standards and making more staff redundant.

Ian Woodland, regional officer for Unite said: ‘The involvement of Capita does not augur well for the provision of services for the public, many of them vulnerable; and the future employment conditions and pensions of the council's staff.'

A meeting of the full council will be held on 16 November to discuss the ‘Change Programme', which argues the authority should follow the ‘commissioning model' to manage 25% gross cost savings.  Earlier this year Suffolk County Council abandoned its ‘New Strategic Direction' programme under which wholescale outsourcing would have transformed the authority into a ‘virtual council.'

But in response council leader, Cllr Royston Smith, dismissed as ‘absurd' allegations that greater working with private firms would lead to residents receiving ‘an inferior standard of service'.

Cllr Royston Smith said: ‘We are radically changing the way we do things so that we can offer an even better service to our residents while having to find savings of more than £76m.'

Defending the plans, he cited the council's relationship with Balfour Beatty in roads management under which more potholes were fixed, more broken street signs replaced and more roads resurfaced, as an example of improved partnership working.

‘If the trade unions really believe in public service they should work with us and embrace this change for the council and the city,' he concluded.