Falkirk Council: Call for action after shock rise in attacks on staff

A report published in a Sunday paper revealed that 51 public-sector workers are verbally and physically assaulted every day in Scotland.

The same story found that Falkirk Council saw the largest increase in the past five years, rising from 298 in 2018-19 to 826 in 2022-23.

The figures include teaching staff, where a rise in assaults has recently been highlighted by Councillor James Bundy and by the EIS trade union.

Councillor Bundy is now urging council officers “to urgently produce a plan to reduce the verbal and physical assault Falkirk Council staff are facing”.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of a Falkirk Council meeting where he has tabled a motion on the issue, he said: “It ties in with the FOI stats we found last year about the rise in the number of assaults against teachers, which implied it was up to five a day in Falkirk schools, which was very worrying to read.

“This report is deeply alarming. All of us want to go to work without fear of physical or verbal assault but I don’t think that is the reality for all workers within Falkirk Council and that’s very sad. ”

Mr Bundy says the report backs up what he is seeing in his email inbox and it is not just teachers who have been in touch but also refuse collectors, cleaners and care workers.

“I’ve had emails with concerns from people in different sectors in the council.

“They feel that there is somehow an acceptance that because you work in the public sector, it’s legitimate to be verbally and sometimes even physically aggressive towards them.

“There is a sense of frustration that not enough is being done to tackle it.”

Mr Bundy says that people are telling him in the emails when they make a complaint it is being “passed around”.

He says its now vital to find out more about the problem and why there has been such a jump, particularly in the Falkirk council area.

“There’s more than one cause of the increase that we’re seeing.

“One aspect that may be positive, in a way, is that the recording of incidents is improving, so more are getting picked up.

“But I also think that means there has been up to five assaults a day for a lot longer, which is worrying.”

But he says its vital to get more evidence about what is happening and why.

“Let’s pass this motion, look at the research and then come up with a plan based on the evidence that’s presented to us,” he said.

Councillor Iain Sinclair, SNP education portfolio holder, said: “It’s important to consider that every report made detailing an incident, on whatever level, represents an impact on a member of our staff, a pupil or any individual involved in such an incident.

“It is right and appropriate that we have a method of reporting such incidents that is both user friendly and accessible, and that people are encouraged and supported to make these reports when they happen.

“We do know, however, that the impacts of the pandemic, home working and learning, and the loss of social interactions for long periods of time are yet to be fully understood. Similarly, we must consider that many of the reports being made now may not have been reported in the past, and understanding the reason behind each incident will ensure that services are as prepared as possible whenever any situation arises.”

Councillor Bundy’s motion will be discussed by Falkirk Council’s executive on Tuesday in Grangemouth Community Education Unit, Abbot’s Road, Grangemouth.