Members of the Royal National Institute of Blind People in Scotland are angered by a restructuring of the charity by its London head office bringing it under the management of Action For Blind People, a sister organisation which until now operated only in England.
Members fear the move will diminish the influence of RNIB Scotland, and lead to a loss of identity. At a time when most legislation that impacts upon blind and partially sighted people is already devolved to Scotland, they fear the transfer, which takes place next week, is dangerously centralising.
Chair of RNIB Scotland, Sandra Wilson said: “Much of what affects the lives of blind and partially sighted people and indeed the lives of everybody living in Scotland has been devolved to Scotland, so it’s not a time for centralised services.
“It just doesn’t fit with what’s happening at this time with the emphasis on people making decisions in their local area ... Nobody is against change. We live in a world that’s changing all the time. But we do feel in Scotland that this particular change is not in the best interests of Scotland as a devolved country.”
Among the concerns, she said is the fact that “Action for Blind People is not known in Scotland and RNIB Scotland is a very tried and tested brand. And while we’re told our brand will remain, we’ll just have to see what the future brings”.
Wilson was not part of the decision for the restructuring to go ahead, and voted against it in April and July. The fact that RNIB Scotland’s members were not consulted about this change, she believes was a mistake. “My biggest worry is the member unrest, and the members feeling that they have been devalued because they haven’t been consulted or informed.”
She added: "RNIB [London office] says this is just an administrative change. But I think what members feel is that it’s the biggest organisational change since RNIB Scotland was set up. And they feel that really they should have had a voice."
RNIB Scotland are holding a meeting on September 21 for those who are worried. Wilson has requested that the transfer of RNIB Scotland staff be deferred till after the meeting “to give us a chance to sit round the table and look at it again”.
Ken Reid, Wilson’s immediate predecessor at RNIB Scotland echoed many of her feelings. “We are concerned,” he said, “that there is a strong risk that our standing will be diminished and our opportunity for influence reduced, particularly at a political level, with the Scottish government. The system is working extremely well as it stands.”
Reid also pointed out that in the wake of the independence referendum and the Smith Commission “taking things away from Scotland at this time just seems to be contrary to common sense".
He added: "In order to be able to provide the services that blind and partially sighted people, we need to be able to negotiate at a political level. And all of these decisions are made at Holyrood, not at the parliament at Westminster.”
Lesley Anne Alexander, chief executive of RNIB in London, was not available for comment, however, speaking on BBC Radio Four last week she pointed out that over the past two years RNIB Scotland had already been managed successfully by the Chief Executive of Action For Blind People.
“It’s not centralisation at all. I’m really proud of the way RNIB embraced the whole devolution agenda,” she said. She also dismissed any idea that RNIB Scotland would be losing its identity. “We would be very foolish to interfere with the RNIB Scotland brand. Our relationships with the Scottish parliament, with Holyrood will not be diminished in any way.”
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