The West Sussex branch committee cordially invites all branch members – including Retired Members – to the branch’s Annual General Meeting 2026.

The branch AGM will take place over 3 separate meetings.

• Monday 30 March, 1.00-2.00pm: HYBRID meeting; MS Teams or in-person in Committee Room 3, County Hall, West Street, Chichester, PO19 1RQ
• Tuesday 31 March, 1.00-2.00pm: Online meeting: MS Teams
• Tuesday 31 March, 6.00-7.00pm: Online meeting: MS Teams

The first meeting will be hybrid with the opportunity to attend online or in-person.

There will be sandwiches and refreshments available at the in-person hybrid meeting on Monday in Chichester.

Joining online will be via Microsoft Teams. You can attend by: PC/Laptop; Tablet; Smartphone; Landline telephone. If you have not got MS Teams installed on your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone, visit the Microsoft Team website where you can download it for free.

Meeting links

Monday 30 March, 1.00-2.00pm
Click here to join the meeting
Or phone in (audio only): call 020 3794 0272 and use phone conference ID: 683 040 847#
(Also in person in Committee Room 3, County Hall, West Street, Chichester, PO19 1RQ)

Tuesday 31 March, 1.00-2.00pm
Click here to join the meeting
Or phone in (audio only): call 020 3794 0272 and use phone conference ID: 985 589 834#

Tuesday 31 March, 6.00-7.00pm
Click here to join the meeting
Or phone in (audio only): call 020 3794 0272 and use phone conference ID: 635 409 808#

As well as reporting back on the previous year, we will discuss our plans for 2026-27 and confirm branch officers and reps for the year ahead. We will be holding an electronic raffle at each of the three AGM meetings with the same great prizes at each event:

• 3 x prizes of £50 vouchers, at each event

To win a raffle prize you will need to be present at the AGM. Names of AGM attendees will be downloaded from MS Teams during the meeting and added manually to the draw for those attending in-person on Monday. Only one prize can be won per member. The draw for three prizes will take place at the end of each meeting. You must be present when the draw is made to claim your prize.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Meeting papers to follow

UNISON has agreed with the other NJC trade unions (Unite and GMB) the pay claim for 2026-27.  The following has now (as of 1st December) been submitted as the claim for 2026-27:

• An increase of at least £3,000 or 10% (whichever is greater) across all NJC spinal column points*
• A minimum pay rate of £15 an hour for the NJC pay spine

*Based on a one-year settlement

In addition:

• A two hour reduction in the working week
• An increase of one day annual leave
• The ability of all school support staff to take a day of paid leave during term time
• The abolition of Level 1 Teaching Assistant role and instead all Level 1 role holders be moved onto Level 2

The pay claim also recognises that the employers may wish to negotiate on the basis of a multi-year pay settlement. Our claim therefore states that in the event of a multi-year settlement being proposed, the unions would seek the following structure to a three-year agreement:

• Year 1: £3,000 or 10% (whichever is greater) on all spinal column points, alongside the introduction of a £15 minimum hourly rate – i.e. as above
• Year 2: An increase of RPI + 3%
• Year 3: An increase of RPI + 2%

We would also seek guarantees that any multi-year settlement would be accompanied by a review of the NJC pay spine being completed and agreed by all parties.

The Employers’ Side are hosting briefings in December and January to get the view of local authorities on what offer should be made. We are urging the Employers to make an offer as soon as possible after that, and to engage in meaningful negotiations.

For members on HAY, Agenda for Change and SMG4 grades

As you will know, your annual cost-of-living pay award each year is arrived at after a local process which follows NJC awards and is informed by the NJC award.

Since 2021, WSCC has agreed to a formal UNISON request that it should mirror NJC awards for staff on HAY, Agenda for Change and SMG4 scales.

WSCC has also previously agreed that the pay year for HAY staff would align with NJC staff, being applicable from 1st April each year.

The Branch Secretary met with the Chief Executive and other officers in December to discuss arrangements for 2026-27. It was agreed that the same arrangements as applied in 2025-26 for WSCC staff on local pay arrangements (mostly team managers on HAY pay scales) will also apply next year in 2026-27.

The pay claim in full

The UNISON West Sussex branch has significant concerns about Local government reorganisation, or LGR.

As we reported previously, we think it is a massive and damaging distraction for local government, at a time of huge planned budget cuts the new Labour Government is doing nothing serious to reverse. It will cost money that would be better spent on frontline services. It will distract our Council’s staff with strategic functions from doing other work to improve our services.

The government has now launched its public, statutory consultation on the proposals to reorganise local government across West Sussex.

Details of the consultation are here, and we would encourage members to take part.

Members have until midnight on Sunday 11 January 2026 to do so.

What is being consulted on?

The options are:

• 1 single unitary authority for the whole of West Sussex (supported by West Sussex County Council), or
• 2 unitary authorities in West Sussex each responsible for services in its area (supported by the district and borough councils in West Sussex), or
• West Sussex being split across 3 different authorities (supported by Brighton & Hove City Council).

The UNISON West Sussex branch view

All LGR is a costly distraction which should be delayed until after full, fair local authority funding has been restored.

But if we were forced to choose one option now, we would – like West Sussex County Council – opt for a single unitary solution. This is because:

• A single unitary council is the least disruptive to UNISON members. 6,000 staff deliver corporate services across West Sussex County Council. If you have to split their employer up into 2 or 3 new employers, not only will staff have to TUPE across, they will also have to be reorganised. If you split hundreds of WSCC teams into 2 or 3 different employers, this will require a huge undertaking of reorganisation and reconfiguration, which members will find disruptive and stressful, and could risk jobs.
• Suggestions in other options that having more than one unitary authority is ‘more democratic’ are spurious and self-serving efforts to maintain unnecessary numbers of Councillors’ seats. Democracy in Britain is broken, because of the failures of politicians, their broken promises and decades of a political agenda that serves only the few rather than the many. Having more than one unitary does nothing to tackle this democratic deficit.
• A single unitary council retains the West Sussex county identity.

That’s our view. What’s yours?

Take part in the consultation to have your say.

Government is expected to make its decision following the close of the consultation in March 2026.

Bridge House in Worthing is set to close because WSCC is unable to renew its lease there with its landlord.

WSCC only became a tenant in 2022 after deciding not to invest in Centenary House, Durrington – a building it owned. Three years later and staff are required to move again, this time to an office space which it will rent from Arun District Council in Littlehampton.

This will be hugely disruptive to staff and expensive to the Council, who will not only have to facilitate the move but pay for staff’s extra mileage.

880 staff are impacted. UNISON is currently supporting its members through the consultation which finishes on 5th January.

Local negotiations

Prior to consultation starting, UNISON West Sussex negotiated with WSCC management on some aspects of the proposals. Importantly, as a result of this negotiation:

1. The proposed move is designated as temporary with a commitment to return to the Worthing area when practicable (likely connected to LGR);
2. For this move, the claims period for reimbursement of excess mileage through the Office Relocation Policy has increased from two years to three years.

For the consultation now underway, UNISON members should now send in their comments to their designated rep to inform our response on behalf of members to the Council.

Personal circumstances

Naturally there are significant concerns for members who have childcare issues or disabilities. Don’t hesitate to reach out to UNISON for advice if you have concerns that are specific to your circumstances. UNISON can really add value at these times by advising you of your rights and supporting you to get the best outcome possible.

Officer visits

UNISON officers will be visiting Bridge House during the consultation period on the following dates:

• Monday 8 December (11.00am-3.00pm; Third floor kitchen, west side)
• Thursday 11 December
• Monday 15 December
• Wednesday 17 December.

Please encourage non-members at Bridge House to join us.

Members at New Tyne residential home for elderly people with dementia were let down by their employer and by county Councillors last Friday (21st November 2025), when Councillors rubber-stamped the closure of the home they work in.

This will inevitably have a massive detrimental impact on the residents who live there who will be moved to different homes, something known to be incredibly stressful and damaging to people with dementia.

UNISON members at New Tyne, over 90% of the staff employed, are fighting a valiant campaign that saw the original decision by the Cabinet member ‘called-in’. This meant it would be debated again by the Council. This is a rare event at WSCC so the members did very well to force this second debate.

2,500 petition presented

A petition of more than 2,500 people against the closure was also presented at the Council’s Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee (HASC). Branch Secretary Dan Sartin presented this on behalf of members, residents and their families and those who had signed the petition.

The 4 Conservatives on the Committee who were present (Councillors Cooper, McGregor, Ali and Patel) were clearly determined from the outset to see the closure through and were not for changing their minds under any circumstances. Disgracefully, the Conservative who represents the residents at New Tyne in his division, Noel Atkins, did not attend due to having another engagement, but let his views be known outside the meeting to other Conservatives that he was in favour of New Tyne closing.

The 1 Reform UK Councillor Markwell did not speak at all and abstained, content to let the Council close New Tyne but not wishing to express a view.

Councillors backing public services

The call-in was led by the Leader of the Labour Group, Chris Oxlade. Four councillors led the fight-back at HASC: James Walsh and Yvonne Gravely for the Lib Dems, Natalie Pudaloff for Labour, and Donna Johnson as a Green/Independent. Members are grateful to them for their efforts.

The vote was therefore tied at 4-4 so the Chair, Councillor Cooper, used her casting vote to condemn New Tyne to closure.

It was a sad day for local democracy as it proved itself inadequate to the task in front of it. Yet again, no Councillor or Council spokesperson would appear in front of the media, and the quality of the debate and understanding of Councillors who backed closure was lamentable.

Media coverage and debate

For the third time, BBC TV covered the events. You can watch their coverage back below.

You can also watch back Dan Sartin’s 5-minute speech presenting the petition at the start of the meeting here, and Dan Sartin’s 3-minute right of reply at the end of the debate here.

You can also read the local newspaper coverage in the Worthing Herald here.

New Tyne members are now considering their next steps.

UNISON’s Winter Essentials Grant opens at 12 noon on Wednesday 10 December 2025. UNISON members on a low income can apply for a £200 voucher towards food shopping.

Applicants must:   

• Be a UNISON member and have paid at least four weeks’ subscriptions as of 10 December 2025. Subscriptions must be up to date;
• Not have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 10 June 2025, excluding the School Uniform Grant and Seasonal Food Fund.
• Must be responsible (or their partner, if applicable) for household fuel bills. Only one application per household will be considered.

And EITHER:

Be on a low income, meaning a net household income of no more than £28,205/year (£2,350.42/month)**

OR:

Be in receipt of means-tested benefits. This includes:

• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Child and/or Working Tax Credits
• Pension Credit
• Means-tested Jobseekers Allowance
• Means-tested Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support

** Where members either have no recourse to public funds and their household income is above £28,205/year an assessment will be undertaken to see whether they would be eligible for benefits if they did have recourse to public funds so that they are not disadvantaged.   

How do I apply?

All applications should be made online. Applications will open HERE for 24 hours from 12 noon on Wednesday 10 December. Eligible members will be chosen at random from the applicant pool and contacted to submit supporting documents.

Due to limited funds and in anticipation of high demand, we regret that we will not be able to help all members who apply.

If you are unable to complete the application due to a disability access need, please email: weg@unison.co.uk or call UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

What if I don’t know my membership number?

We cannot accept applications without a membership number. This can often be found at the bottom of any emails you have received from UNISON. Alternatively, please contact UNISONdirect on 0800 0 857 857.

How will you contact me?

All applicants will receive an automated message confirming your application has been received. If this doesn’t show in your inbox, please check your junk/spam folders.

If I have recently received a grant can I apply?

If you have received a grant from UNISON Welfare since 10 June 2025, excluding the School Uniform Grant or Seasonal Food Fund, you will not be eligible to apply for a Winter Essentials Grant.

Any questions?

Contact: weg@unison.co.uk

Apply for Winter Essentials Grant 2025

WSCC has accepted a Call-in request made by Councillors who oppose the decision to close New Tyne, a residential establishment for elderly people with dementia in Worthing.

This means that the decision to close New Tyne taken by the Cabinet member cannot be progressed until her decision is debated again by the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee (HASC).

Call-in requests are very rarely successful at WSCC, and it is even rarer for Call-ins to be agreed when a Committee (in this case, HASC) has already debated the matter once before.

So many congratulations to UNISON members at New Tyne who are fighting hard to save their service, on behalf of the residents who live there and their families.

UNISON members at New Tyne recently voted overwhelmingly in favour in a consultative ballot for industrial action to save their jobs and service. This is now on hold pending the debate on their future at HASC on 21st November.

The BBC has covered the decision to Call-in on its website.

What you can do to help

1. Attend HASC on Friday 21st November. The meeting starts at 10.30am but UNISON members and families of residents are meeting outside County Hall, Chichester at 10.00am. Come and join us. The meeting is open to the public.
2. Sign our petition! Branch Secretary, Dan Sartin, will present the petition to HASC on 21st November, but the more signatures we can get before then, the better. Please share it online with friends and colleagues.

The general secretary is the most senior role in the union. They represent UNISON when talking to the media, other unions, employers and to Parliament. UNISON has to elect its general secretary every five years.

As the largest trade union in the UK, who runs UNISON matters. It matters in the country at large, and it matters in your workplace.

UNISON’s elected General Secretary runs our union, manages its 1,200 staff and ultimately determines the kind of union we are and can become. The General Secretary and their abilities and qualities is the single biggest factor in whether or not UNISON succeeds and wins for you at work and on pay.

There are two candidates in the 2025 election:

1. Andrea Egan
2. Christina McAnea

Following a West Sussex branch committee meeting, discussion and vote, your West Sussex branch decided – unanimously – to nominate Andrea Egan for General Secretary.

Our Branch is backing Andrea Egan for General Secretary because Andrea:

• Has a clear plan for successful action on Pay, ending the stagnation of the last fifteen years.
• Will take the wage of a social worker, not the £181,000 package our current General Secretary receives. Andrea’s pay will go up when yours does.
• Opposes UNISON’s subservience to Starmer’s Labour. UNISON members will come first, not the Labour Party.
• Will free up and resource branches so we can better support you, giving you access to legal advice when needed.
• Has successfully led campaigns to defend Schools and Council terms and conditions.

How the election works

Voting will be over a 4-week period from Tuesday 28 October to Tuesday 25 November. Ballots will be mailed out by the Post Office from Tuesday 28 October so are likely to arrive any time from a few days to a couple of weeks after this date.

1.5 million UNISON members – our in-work members plus our Retired members – get a vote in this election, so it is a big exercise, and ballot mailouts are staggered. By law, we cannot allow members to vote electronically, so lookout for your ballot paper which will be posted to your home address.

Inside will be a smaller addressed envelope, with the postage already paid. Vote by placing an X in the box beside your preferred candidate’s name, put the ballot in the envelope and put it in the post box. Simple!

Members are strongly encouraged to use their vote in this important election that comes only once every five years. Make your choice and have your voice heard.

In 2017 the National Education Union (NEU) voluntarily entered into an agreement with the unions recognised for bargaining on behalf of local government and school’s workers. All the trade unions in that agreement are members of the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Trade unions that affiliate to the TUC agree to behave in accordance with a set of principles that govern their relationships with other unions. These rules are designed to prevent existing recognition and bargaining agreements from being undermined.

The NEU repeatedly and deliberately breached the 2017 agreement signed by the four unions, and a previous Award made by a TUC Disputes Committee in 2023. Both the agreement and the TUC Award made clear that there are only three recognised school support staff unions, and the NEU should not organise that group of workers.

Earlier this year, the three recognised school support staff unions, GMB, UNISON and Unite, submitted a second formal complaint to the TUC about the NEU’s continued organising activities and recruitment of school support staff, and their publicly stated intention to continue with these activities.

In September 2025, the TUC issued its new judgement. Once again, the complaint of the NJC Unions was upheld.

The judgement reaffirmed that the school support staff unions (GMB, UNISON and Unite) have exclusive bargaining rights for school support staff, and that the NEU will not be part of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body. It also explicitly stated that the NEU should not actively organise or recruit school support staff.

UNISON is the only trade union for support staff in Local Authority controlled schools granted recognition by West Sussex County Council.

This decision matters because it protects your right to be represented by the unions that are officially recognised to negotiate on your behalf. UNISON continues to focus on improving pay, job security, and recognition for school support staff, ensuring your voice is heard where it counts.

Could you work for a branch of Britain’s largest trade union?

Our busy branch office in Chichester has a vacancy for a vital role which supports our 7,000 members.

Branch Administration Assistant

Permanent contract for a part-time role.

The successful applicant may choose their preferred hours from 18.5 (2.5 days) or 22.5 (3 days).

£27,254, rising with two subsequent annual increments to £28,598 (Full-time equivalent salary is based on a 37-hour working week and will be pro-rated according to hours worked).

You will provide all round administrative support in the branch office with a focus on maintaining the UNISON database which holds 7,000 branch records.

Home working options which complement core office working are available and can be discussed.

Final salary pension scheme offered.

Closing date for applications is 9.00am on Monday 17th November.

Interviews for this post will be held on Monday 24th November.

1. Job description
2. Person specification
3. Task matrix
4. Information for applicants
5. Terms and Conditions
6. Application form
7. Monitoring form