The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) is launching a major new initiative that sees it team up with local councils.
Nottinghamshire is the first county council to work with the GLA as part of the project to target rogue gangmasters and deal with the community issues they create.
The GLA is already taking strong action against unscrupulous labour-providers with the revocation of licences and even prosecutions for related offences, but the knock on effects to local communities are now being also being considered. Those living near the houses packed with exploited workers, sharing the roads with dangerously unfit minibuses and local shops not seeing the benefits of workers being properly paid for the work they do are the most likely to benefit from the new initiative, the authority claims.
Under the plans signed by the GLA and Nottinghamshire, council staff working in these areas and receiving complaints from residents about these issues can share this information with the GLA and if the issues are connected to gangmaster activity the GLA can investigate and help the workers which in turn will help the local community.
Councillor Glynn Gilfoyle, Nottinghamshire council’s cabinet member for community safety and partnerships said: “By working together, we can help reduce the numbers of workers who are exploited in Nottinghamshire, which will help to protect both them and our local communities.”
The GLA is now hoping to extend the initiative to more councils nation-wide. “We are in the initial stages of contact with two more councils but we would like to see this roll out right across the UK,” a GLA spokesperson told FPJ. “We hope to have more announcements soon.”
Officials from the GLA are in close contact with councillor Gilfoyle’s team to offer any assistance or training in terms of what to look out for should it be required.
Paul Whitehouse, chairman of the GLA said: “This initiative is common sense, Nottinghamshire County Council wants to resolve community problems and the GLA needs information about exploited workers. Councils have significant front-line contact with migrant workers, whether though Trading Standards activity, licensing of Houses of Multiple Occupation, or emergency welfare support. Working together we can tackle exploitation and resolve problematic issues within the community. Abuse of vulnerable workers could be happening anywhere, in any county and to anyone. Both Nottinghamshire County Council and ourselves detest this abuse and we will combine to stamp it out effectively and without compromise in Nottinghamshire. There can be no hiding place for the abusive gangmaster and there can be no tolerance of the abuse of vulnerable workers in the county.”
Whitehouse believes that the work of trading standards officers at Nottinghamshire County Council will see more crucial intelligence flowing into the GLA.
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