Falkirk Council: Tenants waiting longer for repairs and adaptions due to lack of tradesmen

The staffing shortages mean tenants now face a wait of 81 weeks for a new bathroom, while disabled tenants can expect a delay of 33 weeks before they get adaptations to their bathrooms.

A recent report to Falkirk Council’s scrutiny committee reveals that before the Covid-19 pandemic, the building and maintenance division (BMD) had a full-time equivalent workforce of 323 craft employees, and 51 office staff.

However, there are now just 224 craft employees and 47 office staff.

The service is responsible for the maintenance and repair of around 16,700 council houses, including the turnaround of empty properties and work such as roofing and roughcasting.

It also carries out adaptations for people with disabilities.

But the report admits that the staff shortages mean the remaining workforce is under huge pressure and that “the current performance levels are not meeting the expectations of tenants”.

Provost Robert Bissett said that the report had been requested by the scrutiny committee as members were concerned at the feedback they have been receiving from constituents.

He said: “It’s clear from the report that despite the hard work that is ongoing within the service there has been a struggle to meet demand in several areas.”

The “frank and honest” report, which was welcomed by councillors, says the service has struggled to retain employees and has also failed to recruit new staff.

It blames a range of factors, including the post-Brexit trade skills shortage that is being seen across the UK.

That shortage has led to increasing wages in the private sector and housing associations, which means they are now offering “significantly better salaries than those available with Falkirk Council”.

Councillors also heard that there are “job satisfaction issues within the BMD workforce linked to the type of work currently being undertaken in-house, and the work that is outsourced”.

The report also highlighted an absence rate of around 12 per cent.

It stated: “These issues place strains and constraints on the ability of BMD to deliver the required service, and as a result an increasing level of work has had to be procured to third-party contractors with varying levels of success.”

The report makes clear that turning around empty council homes – void properties – so they can be re-let is a priority.

The number of voids needing work done has reduced by around 300 since the start of the year and there are currently 153 waiting for work.

However, the report admits that many of these jobs have been done by contractors and there have been issues where the workmanship is “below an acceptable standard, causing complaints and delays”.

While payment is not made until the work is satisfactory, overseeing this is putting extra stress on the management team which is already overstretched “due to departures, absence and an inability to recruit”.

The service has also seen waiting times soar for disabled adaptations and a recent attempt to find a third party company to improve the situation failed to attract any bidders.

While the numbers waiting for kitchen improvements has been reduced, there are still 856 homes on the list which can expect to wait around 28 weeks.

SNP councillor Lorna Binnie made a plea for the service to make adaptations for disabled people a priority.

She praised the “transparent report” but added: “From personal engagement with people in my community, I know that having adaptations is vital for their health and well-being.

“I need this to be not just a priority in terms of having care at home, it is a fundamental human right to have access to a bathroom, toilet and showering without danger of falling.

“It’s also a person’s dignity. Can I ask our services to take into account the person with their rights and make sure this work is done for all?

“We must be proactive rather than reactive – this may prevent people going into care.”

Manager Douglas Gardiner said he fully appreciated the situation and acknowledged “we are not where we want to be right now”.

Labour councillor Margaret Anslow, the council’s veteran’s champion, also commended the report but agreed with Counxillor Binnie regarding adaptations. She said she had had a lot of emails from veterans, including amputees, needing adaptations to help them “fit back into the community again”.

Provost Bissett said that he was pleased to note that an external review has now started to look at how performance can be improved across the service.

The review aims to highlight areas where the service could be improved and modernised.

Head of environment and operations, Douglas Gardiner said the the review will include a look at the culture of the service and in particular how to improve communication in the team.

Manager Robert Fotheringham said that since the start of the review, absenteeism has decreased and they hoped this would help speed up the adaptations in particular.

Councillor Gary Bouse, the SNP administration’s portfolio holder, said that “it is a good service that needs support”.

“The challenges at BMD are very similar to what other parts of the construction industry are suffering from.”

He said staff “are working really hard” and he has confidence in the managers to find a way forward.

“We are looking for a long-term solution so that as the service moves forward it will serve the people of Falkirk as best it can.”