Local authority frustration

[Paul Barton]

The council I work for has put a freeze on all spending for training at the moment. It seems a short sighted cost saving method to me, but it may be a short term freeze I guess. We are going through a big re-structure as well - next year we won't have our own desks and be encouraged to work from home more and hot-desk in a more communal office.

 

The old bods that have been there for years are up in arms but I think it's probably the way forward if managed right. No doubt there will be some pretty major teething problems at the beginning though, as everyone will be more reliant on the IT system which is currently pretty poop...

[Lancstree]

I would think carefully before going to a union (are your reps any good? etc). It will make you unpopular but I salute anyone who goes against the grain for what they believe are just causes. Going to the papers is a sackable offence if you have agreed not to do so in your contract of employment.

 

Good luck trying to get help with training - I can get nowhere with that so I invest in myself instead

[Al Duffill]

Can relate to the living local thing, same here. we just did a refresher 1st aid but some of our lads don't have Chapter 8 and they're working on roads!

[Lancstree]

I've just done chapter 8 course as a technician and our supervisor did the supervisor's course. You would need a dedicated traffic management team to do it properly with their own van full of signs and cones. When we did the course it was more aimed at road excavations rather than vehicle pulling along side the road to work. This is another one of those topics that we can argue forever about!

[Al Duffill]

Thanks to all,

 

I did write a reply much earlier on but lost my internet connection and message got lost posting.

 

I can relate to you all and the feedback has been taken on board.

 

I know what you mean about the Tech Arb, above my station, above my managers station too! I have Cert Arb and level 2/3 in forestry related course, for a while i was more qualified than our tree inspector, they now have Cert Arb.

 

Maybe if I do present my aspiratons as an employee more professionally the penny will drop regarding training. None of us have a rigging ticket and i'm the only one who seems bothered about it, huge tree's are a minority in our workload, but when they appear its "sod that, how are we gonna get it all down?!" I know there are easier ways, I get the tree mags, read books and basically arm myself with knowledge and I wouldn't do anything to put myself, or others, in danger. We do use pulleys, rope brakes but thats about all, thats our most teccy piece of equiptment, a rope brake. I have just got a rigging plate and slings in a hope of making life easier and will possibly be using them this week, weather permitting! I will keep pushing and nagging.

 

Thanks once again, will keep you posted

[bob]

Thanks to all,

 

I did write a reply much earlier on but lost my internet connection and message got lost posting.

 

I can relate to you all and the feedback has been taken on board.

 

I know what you mean about the Tech Arb, above my station, above my managers station too! I have Cert Arb and level 2/3 in forestry related course, for a while i was more qualified than our tree inspector, they now have Cert Arb.

 

Maybe if I do present my aspiratons as an employee more professionally the penny will drop regarding training. None of us have a rigging ticket and i'm the only one who seems bothered about it, huge tree's are a minority in our workload, but when they appear its "sod that, how are we gonna get it all down?!" I know there are easier ways, I get the tree mags, read books and basically arm myself with knowledge and I wouldn't do anything to put myself, or others, in danger. We do use pulleys, rope brakes but thats about all, thats our most teccy piece of equiptment, a rope brake. I have just got a rigging plate and slings in a hope of making life easier and will possibly be using them this week, weather permitting! I will keep pushing and nagging.

 

Thanks once again, will keep you posted

 

sorry to rub it in we have 3 small rigging kits 1 midweight and 2 serious ones inc a grcs

although i do believe we are one of the better and luckier councils it,s been hard fought for

8 out of 10 have there 41 and the other 2 are new guys within 6 months have done 30 31 38 39 and going through 32 and 34 soon

 

at the end of the day if your not qualified your not supposed to do it unless under supervision

 

read the basics of working at height regs

ALL work at height should be planned and supervised

[Al Duffill]

Thanks Bob,

 

Work at heights regs, do we have regs for that sort of thing!? Only joking, thanks for the reminder, rigging plate and zip lines a no go then if i havn't been trained in the use of them. No one has, so no one can supervise either!

 

We have a huge Pop to reduce by 40% that spans 5 gardens on the one side, was hoping to set up some kind of zip line to save lowering all the gear into the gardens and dragging it out, have studied them but not used them. Surely, we shouldn't even be lowering gear on a straight forward line then?

[RobArb]

I work for the local authority of the City of London.

 

Have been at my particular site for close on 25 years, there have been many restructures with managers coming and going over the years.

With that, you will always get some waste of resource & time, which is inevitable.

One of the most important things in the public sector from my perspective .......is continuity.

This can bring the usual problems & issues relating to complacency, but in my experience if you are dedicated and willing to go the extra mile, then this will open doors & build trust.

With these in place, there will be the oportunity to build relationships within an infrastructure, that will provide the freedom to engineer the right level of training and plant/fleet/equipment needs to run a team sustainably & succesfully.

 

During this years annual performance review of my team, I identified the need for the following training/equipment/oportunities.

 

Advanced climbing refresher with Treevolution

Loler inspection

First aid refreshers

Splicing course with Treeworker

Professional Tree Inspection

Airspade

Replacement Vehicle

 

As well as Site visits to Windsor/Greenwich/Heartwood & the Basque region of Spain.

 

We've also taken the team outside, to help a Sister Site & next week are creating a working party for a day to offer a neighbouring LA our experience & time on a woodland project.

 

I've also manage to develope the idea of working in an apprentice position on to our team, which bore fruit & kicked off in september.

 

Some of the above may be seen as unneccesary and wasteful, but this helps with delivering a high standard of work & networking, which I believe to be an important aspect of CPD an a key indicator of growth & sustainability.

 

This all during the pinching of central training & employment budgets, due to the current climate.

Obviously this is my situation and many LA's may not be in the same financial situation/position as COL.

 

Reading this may add to your frustration, and for that I appologies, but in your position I'd be inclined to get together evidence of what you see are failings and where you see they can be improved and go upstairs with it.

 

What's there to lose?

 

Your unhappy, try and improve that situation.

 

Good luck either way

 

David

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

Can i come work for you lol..!!

 

i used to work for a LA through an agency earlier this year.. what i can say was the pay was excellent, the hours even better, the tools really well looked after and some really nice areas to work in (some not so though)..! I can also say that they were very behind the times... the supervisor in charge had been in the game for the same LA for nearly 25 years and still used the same practises/practices (dunno which spellin is correct!) that he did back then... there was no forward planning and all the trees ended up lookin like lollipops coz thats how the tree officer wanted them..!! I even tried to bring up the subject along with one of the experienced guys who had been there for 10 years who also felt the same but my ideas were just dismissed..! As for training needs they weren't that bad, a bit slow but all the lads eventually got the training they asked for and they got new kit every year even if it was the most basic of the basic...

 

I think for such a big organisation that it is very hard to implement change once the wheels have been in motion for so long... one of the senior supervisors is vying for more staff to put more tree teams on the road as they are that busy but budgets wouldn't allow it and all us agency staff were let go.. i was told to apply next april when there would be a permanent position advertised (someone was leaving) but i can't see the position being advertised...

 

Overall i think if you willing to fight for something you believe in and change your working attitude to suit the needs of the LA you could probably get the best of both worlds - job satisfaction

 

Good luck in all you endeavour

[jamesw]

This is what i was going to write

 

"This is my opinion only

 

save your self from alienating and singling yourself out for institutional bullying and do the course in your own time. Yes you could try and bring changes but in my experience and those of others who have worked LA Don't bother. The managers want an easy life and want their pension so no rocking of boats. Sad state of affairs and appologies in advance to the said managers who frequent this site who fall outside this generalisation and are helpfull to their staff."

 

But changed my mind thought it was to harsh. So i will say nothing instead and not get involved:001_tongue:

[Al Duffill]

Nice one James,

 

Think you've hit the nail on the head:thumbup:

 

But I will keep on pushing for training and awareness, up until 3 years ago we didn't even have LOLER testing! I set the wheels in motion after passing the Cert arb course, it took a year or so but it happened(much to the disgruntled feedback from my colleagues when their kit got scrapped)! All the chain oil we use now is bio, thanks to me pushing for it. If you want change and it feels right, fight your corner.

 

Am now looking at working for City Of London, Spain anyone?