At the beginning of this financial year, we were tasked with saving several hundred thousand pounds from the Vertas contract. This was to offset the rise in contract value as a result of the increases in minimum wage and national insurance. Given the efficiencies that have taken place in previous years, there are few options other than to consider where we may reduce service provision.
As a result, we will be moving from weekly to fortnightly cleaning with the exception of bathroom and kitchen areas which will remain on their current frequencies. We will also be scrutinising all vacancies arising to understand whether they need to be replaced or whether changes to the way we work mean that services can be delivered in a different way.
We recognise that this may seem a significant step but has been taken as a result of our current way of working and in order to achieve the required savings. We hope you will work with us and we will, of course, continue to address any areas of concern.