CONCERNS have been raised over a shortage of craft workers in West Dunbartonshire leading to a backlog in social housing repairs.

At a recent meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC), a report was presented to members highlighting the loss of approximately 30 agency craft workers during 2020/21, and the departure of a number of permanent craft workers from the payroll.

The report also detailed how some services have also been affected by high levels of absence.

Dumbarton Labour councillor David McBride raised concerns during the meeting over the numbers in the report, and asked what council bosses were planning to do to tackle the problem.

He said: “We’ve noted the loss of 30 agency craft workers during 2020/21 and a number of permanent craft workers.

“What are we going to do to try and recruit and retain people?”

In response to Mr McBride, Angela Wilson, the council’s chief officer of supply, distribution and property, said: “As you know, there is a national shortage in some areas of skill and resource.

“My understanding is that last year, as a result of the Covid pandemic and restrictions, we had to release some of our agency workers.

“We have been working on filling the gaps, particularly in some of the skill areas, in addition to using our own resources.

“But we are also looking to recruit again through our agency workers.

“We’re looking at other ways such as using overtime, for example, to try and mitigate some of that time back.

“We need to look at recruitment and keep abreast of what the market is like.

“Longer term, I would be looking to try and develop solutions such as making sure we’re bringing on apprentices.

“In relation to the attendance figures, there has been an increase in the absence rates since January – which is concerning, because if you put that together with the shortage of resources that we are now seeing then that could potentially have a significant impact.

“There is no one particular reason for absence. There are a variety of reasons, but typically it is longer-term absence as opposed to a few days or under the four week period.

“I can assure members that we are monitoring and managing it as closely as we can.”