How rampant town hall compensation culture costs £12m
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STAFF at Scotland’s cashstrapped councils have been awarded compensation worth almost £12 million – with claims including workers slipping on soup, tripping over toys and falling off ladders.
Over the past five years, local authorities have faced huge bills for claims about employees injured by tumbling bins, a hot tray of panini and a collision with a child cyclist.
Among the more contentious cases are a member of staff being awarded £110,000 after suffering depression and another worker pocketing £17,500 for what officials called ‘minor bruising or grazing’.
The payments were made as Scottish councils have grappled with severe austerity measures and challenges to their budgets.
Critics are now demanding greater clarity on settlements and insisted payouts should be limited in the face of drastic funding cuts.
Scottish Tory local government spokesman Graham Simpson said: ‘It’s right that when any employee sustains an injury in the course of their work as a result of an accident, they are compensated fairly.
‘But we also need to be mindful that these things can spiral out of control. With councils under so much financial pressure, it’s more important than ever that a lid is kept on these claims.’
At least £11,669,165.87 has been paid out in awards and associated costs since 2011, according to data obtained by The Scottish Mail on Sunday through freedom of information requests. But only 25 of the 32 local authorities provided figures, so the total bill is likely to be even higher.
Scotland’s two largest councils, Glasgow and Edinburgh, paid out £1,467,741.80 and £1,479,807.32 respectively over the past five years. By contrast, Moray Council’s bill was only £329.
Over the past five years, local authorities have faced huge bills for claims over damaged clothing, dental work, loss of sight or hearing, assaults, burns and injuries caused by needles or harmful substances. At least £288,885.63 was paid to people affected by stress, shock, depression or psychological injury. A Stirling Council spokesman confirmed £110,000 was paid out after one incident at work but said: ‘The figure in question was the result of an isolated incident, which was completely outwith the control of the authority and those involved, and was not the result of the employees’ ordinary routine, workload or environment.’
Taxpayer Scotland director Eben Wilson said last night: ‘We do wish our councils would take a lot more care with our money. We would like to see a full audit put on every council website by law, without any need for a freedom of information request being made, that shows the amounts paid in compensation.’
A spokesman for the council umbrella body Cosla insisted all successful claims are genuine. He said: ‘There is no suggestion of a compensation culture here – every incident is recorded and fully investigated, with councils only paying out money when legally advised to do so.’
‘We do wish councils would take more care’