New skills plan for Falkirk Council workers to tackle lack of trades

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Joiners, plumbers and plasterers working for Falkirk Council are to learn some of each others' skills in a bid to get council house repairs done more quickly and efficiently.

It's part of a major review of Falkirk 's Building and Maintenance Division (BMD), which has been struggling with high absence rates, difficulty recruiting, high staff turnover and an ageing workforce in recent years.

Members of Falkirk Council's Scrutiny Committee were told today (Tuesday) the review "is not a magic wand", but is already delivering improvements, which will continue to be made steadily. Read more: Falkirk roads need more money to be kept in decent condition The department, which had around 350 tradesmen before Covid, has seen that number reduce to just 195.SNP councillor Jim Robertson questioned the idea of tradesmen being asked to do other jobs, but was told it would make the service much more efficient.Falkirk Council's head of environment and operations, Douglas Gardiner, assured members that training will be provided.He said: "I wouldn't expect a plumber to come in and start hanging doors - it would be very much basic skills."The real winner out of this is the tenant.

If a tenant has a leaking bath, the joiner will come out to take the panel off the bath, then the plumber would come out to do the repair, then the joiner would replace it."It's a far more efficient way of running the service."Director of Place Malcolm Bennie assured councillors that "this is not unchartered territory" and has been successful in other organisations, including Fife Council.He said: "Correcting things, first time, first visit will be better for tenants."Members were told that employees who gain extra skills will be regraded and will get a higher