CONSULTATIONS over potential job losses at Bradford’s newly-combined drugs and alcohol services will end on November 2.

Union bosses fear the situation “doesn’t look good” but said they would continue to challenge charity CGL (Change, Grow, Live), which was awarded the commission by Bradford Council to run the dual services district-wide.

A CGL spokesman said: “Until the consultations are complete, we do not know how many redundancies will need to be made to the current workforce of over 120 people. We are assessing the priorities and needs of the service, and are committed to delivering the new contract in Bradford and ensuring it is effective and easily accessible for service users.

“Staff and service user welfare is our main focus, and we are working hard with commissioners, unions, staff and other providers to ensure minimum disruption during this consultation process.”

Unison’s regional organiser for Bradford, Ashley Harper, said: “Consultations are in the very early stage but it doesn’t look good. It’s a fluid situation. We’re not happy with the information CGL has given us so far, they are suggesting the new contract value they have to work with is about half the value of what it was before.”

He claimed CGL had “gained a reputation as a relentless contract-winning machine” and added that Unison would be challenging CGL to protect the service and the jobs of those who deliver it.

A Bradford Council spokesman said the new contract came about as a result of a full review in 2015 which recommended the Council and local Clinical Commissioning Groups commission a single, integrated service to meet the changing landscape of substance misuse, rather than run 14 separate services which could make it difficult for service users to get to the right service.

“A competitive tender process was followed to provide an alcohol and drug recovery service in the district and this was awarded to CGL. One reason for commissioning a single service was to remove duplication, the overlap of provision and better manage the complex needs of those requiring services. The main consideration was not budget related.”

But Mr Harper said: “We are very concerned that the Council has stated that the decision to integrate the services was not budget-related as we have it on record from CGL that the budget envelope for the service is a reduced budget from the current provision. Something does not stack-up here and UNISON intends to get to the bottom of this.”

An award-winning Keighley drugs and alcohol agency faced with “significant” cuts in its services has vowed to continue doing whatever it can to help those in need. Over the years, Project 6 has supported countless people struggling with addictions but the Temple Street-based organisation has revealed that reduced budgets and changes to the delivery of drugs and alcohol services in the district are having a severe impact.

Lynn Lawson, director of development at Project 6, said: “The budget for drug and alcohol services in the district has been reduced drastically due to Government austerity measures.

“Unfortunately we were unsuccessful in lobbying the local health and social care commissioners in considering the specific needs of Keighley and wider areas in their procurement, resulting in a process which has led to a significant loss of services and income for Project 6.

“Our integrated treatment system, built-up over a number of years, is being dismantled.

“However, we’re part of the delivery of the new services in partnership with CGL and the Bridge Project in Bradford and we will work hard to ensure our local community continues to get high quality and effective services.”

She says Project 6 is delivering some prevention and early-intervention elements of the contract.

In a statement to stakeholders, the agency said it was continuing to provide a “caring and compassionate” service to people within the community and would ensure service users didn’t “fall through the net” during the transition period.

Project 6 is maintaining crisis, family and recovery services, plus peer support, volunteering and young people’s resilience work.