GETTING CLOSE
PROGRESS BUT NO AGREEMENT (at least on pre ‘19 claims)
We are aware of the “corporate communication” sent yesterday and today.
We have had a further discussion with GCC’s lawyers and it’s fair to say that substantial progress has been made.
Unfortunately, the council insist that negotiations remain confidential so we cannot disclose the details of these discussions.
It’s important to stress that THERE ARE NO OFFERS YET!
It’s also important to stress that NOTHING IS AGREED UNTIL EVERYTHING IS AGREED.
We are close but not close enough. The council are still making offers for some groups conditional on us excluding other groups. We cannot agree to this.
They have also raised with us legal issues which are completely new and very complicated. We have asked them to reconsider these. And we are working on them with our side.
Even if we can reach agreement in principle, it’s important to understand that there will be months before any offers can be made as we will have to negotiate a new MOU and new advice letters and procedures.
These discussions have only been about the pre-March 18 period. THERE HAVE BEEN NO DISCUSSIONS OR PROPOSALS ABOUT INTERIM PAYMENTS nor about the post March 18 period at all.
In the meantime, we are back in tribunal on Monday hoping to agree a new timetable for the tribunal proceedings.
I hope you will understand that because of the confidentiality agreement we cannot respond to detailed questions at this stage. Just to repeat, good progress has been made but we are nowhere near an agreement yet.