Fixed term contract extension

[Jennydaviesabc]

Hi all, wondering if anyone can offer advice. I work for a local authority, 19 years service so perm employee but i am on a fixed term contract to deliver a project. This has been the case for the last 10 years, every 2 years or so we get funding from Welsh Government to continue our project and my employment gets extended. This year however, we have had an extension for our project but due local authorities finances my department is being restructured and the LA propose to use our extension money to fund other newly created posts who would deliver the project in addition to other duties. (This will never work as we are incredibly busy) Is this legally allowed?

I'm not totally sure what you're asking but they are allowed to restructure and make new posts.

I'm unclear how you can both be a permanent employee and on a fixed term contract but after 19 years it makes no difference really as you're protected as an employee. If they're restructuring and your role doesn't exist anymore then you'll be eligible for redundancy or ring fenced for one of the new roles.

What bit of their plans are you asking about?

Are they therefore proposing to make you redundant?

Yes of course it's allowed.

The more complex part is what you would have owing in that scenario as although you're fixed term you've been employed by them for nearly 2 decades; should this happen get proper advice to make sure they're doing as they should.

Thanks for the replies. Yes they propose to make me and my team redundant. What I am asking is how can they make us redundant when they have received external funding specifically for our posts. All other staff threaten with redundancy (165) have lost their funding but funding for my post and my team is not at risk.

You need to talk to ACAS (and your union if you’re in one).

Surely the funding is for delivery of the project rather than for you as a named individual or the team itself? Lots of public sector bodies go through reorgs, as long as they follow due process its fine.

Have they received the funding specifically for your posts eg the bid for the money said 5 people all working 100% on the project, one director, two managers, two analysts?

Or was the bid more like 5 FTEs to include senior and junior staff as needed, in which case they can make up the project team from people doing it as a percentage of their overall time.

Also, if 165 people are being made redundant, they need to go through a consultation

Is the funding ring fenced to employ your team? Or is it just to deliver the project?
If it's the latter they are allowed to restructure and alter how they deliver services.

The funding is specifically for our posts and comes specific job titles which are ours working 100% on the project

So the original project is still being funded but some of the funds are being diverted to other projects?

The original project is still being funded for another 2 years, no changes. Other projects in the council funded by different streams have lost their funding. The council are therefore proposing to use our funding to create new posts, although as stated above our funding comes with specific job titles and roles FT fully funded of which myself and my team are already in post doing. I have been working in external funding for the LA for years and never known this to happe

As much as you don't want it to, it can happen. Seek advice to ensure they're following process and that you get all that is owing to you, but honestly I'd start looking for a new job in tandem.