BECTU members at the Coliseum, home of English National Opera, have unanimously rejected ENO's final pay and consitions offer, and are now to hold a ballot on industrial action. The pay row, which has been going on for over a year, is based around ENO's replacement for the previous three and a half year agreement. The new agreement, according to BECTU official Willy Donaghy, would result in members having to work longer hours for up to £5000 a year less.
The result of the industrial action ballot is expected next month.
National Audit Office critical of ACE
The Arts Council of England has been criticised by the National Audit Office, the government spending watchdog, for its monitoring of major capital projects. The report studied fifteen projects (including the redevelopment of the Royal Opera House) and noted that five were running late and twelve were over budget.
Among the NAO's recommendations were that project managers should be given better access to financial expertise, that there should be a relaxation of partnership funding requirements and special condidtions, and that ACE should consider suspending Lottery payments to projects which are in serious financial trouble until the clients produce budgeting proposals.
ACE chief executive Peter Hewitt welcomed the NAO report and said that the Council not only accepted its recommendations but had already begun to act on them.