Dear Mr Barnes,

Thank you for your recent request made under the Freedom of Information
Act, which has been received by Wirral Borough Council.

In order to progress your enquiry officers have asked if you are able to
clarify your questions:

A) Can you please inform me of all training courses in Health and Safety
and Risk Assesment training,  Environmental Awareness training - Is this a
list of what's available or what training Officers/contractors have
recieved?

B) ALL council Officers , managers ,employees and contractors have
undergone to support any decisions or activities they may undertake
relating to their possible work as an employee or contracor for Wirral
Council? - Does this relate to just the Hilbre Island incident or everyone
that works for or on behalf of the Council ?

Once in receipt of your clarification we will further progress your
enquiry and we aim to issue a substantive response to your full enquiry
within 20 working days.

You can reply  to [1][Wirral Borough Council request email] marked for the
attention of the DPO, Records & Information Manager

Yours sincerely,

Chelsea Dalton

Information Management Officer

Business Management - ICT

Treasury Building

Argyle Street

Birkenhead

Wirral

CH41 1AH

Tel: 0151 666 5201

[2][Wirral Borough Council request email]

PLEASE FORWARD ALL FOI RESPONSES TO [3][Wirral Borough Council request email]

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.
If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.

References

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2. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]
3. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]

Dear Mr Barnes,

We write further to your recent request for information relating to
building works on Hilbre Island.

Please be advised that an internal investigation is currently underway.

Officers have advised that a conclusion date is set. We will aim to
disclose a full, substantive response to in relation to your request week
commencing 30^th September 2019.

We understand there is a high level of public interest in this matter and
senior officers endeavour to provide as much information as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Chelsea Dalton

Information Management Officer

Business Management - ICT

Treasury Building

Argyle Street

Birkenhead

Wirral

CH41 1AH

Tel: 0151 666 5201

[1][Wirral Borough Council request email]

PLEASE FORWARD ALL FOI RESPONSES TO [2][Wirral Borough Council request email]

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.
If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.

References

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1. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]
2. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]

Dear Mr Barnes,

Thank you for your request submitted under the Freedom of Information Act
2000. Further to our conversation, discussing your request in more depth
our response is as follows:

Officers from our Environmental Health Department have below set out the
training/qualification requirements for Environmental Health Officers
(EHOs), which I hope answers the revised question. It is worth
highlighting however that Environmental Health have not been directly
involved in the recent Hibre issues. I appreciate the public perceptions
is, understandably given the name of our service, that we are involved in
all things environmental. We would generally investigate breaches of
legislation in sectors outside of the Council itself.

Pathway to an EHO

 1. Degree or masters in Environmental Health from an accredited
University.
 2. Post-grad completion of an evidence based practical training portfolio
(typically 12 months practical experience)
 3. Post-grad completion of the Chartered Institute of Environmental
Health’s (CIEH) professional exams (written tests and scenario based
interviews)
 4. On completion of the above, registration with the Environmental Health
Officers Registration Board (EHORB)
 5. Post qualification completion of a competency matrix in chosen area or
specialism. e.g. food safety officers have to maintain and evidence 19
prescribed competencies, defined by the food law code of practice.
Health and Safety officers have a similar requirement covering a
multitude of areas. Additional qualifications such as H&S and acoustic
diplomas may be sought.
 6. Maintain 30 hours of Continuing Professional Development per year.

When we recruit EHOs we specify EHORB registration as a minimum
requirement and then depending on their experience we then build on their
competency matrix until complete. Levels of authorisation (powers) reflect
the level of competency and are tailored to each officer. We do also
employ technical officers who are not subject to such a rigid
qualification process.

I hope this assists in some way in demonstrating that we take the
qualification and competency of Council staff seriously.

I have also attached some documentation for you, the first document shows
some of our training courses that our Environmental Health Officers have
undertaken for their role. The second document is in relation to our
policies on the use of Glyphosate

I trust the above assists with your enquiries.

You have the right under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000
to ask for an internal review if you are dissatisfied with the information
provided to you. Please direct any request for an internal review to
[1][Wirral Borough Council request email] and your request will be allocated for
review.

Yours sincerely,

Chelsea Dalton

Information Management Officer

Business Management - ICT

Treasury Building

Argyle Street

Birkenhead

Wirral

CH41 1AH

Tel: 0151 666 5201

[2][Wirral Borough Council request email]

PLEASE FORWARD ALL FOI RESPONSES TO [3][Wirral Borough Council request email]

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.
If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.

References

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2. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]
3. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]

Dear Mr Barnes,

In addition to our previous response to your Freedom of Information
request, our Parks & Countryside section have issued a statement regarding
the training that ManCoed's (contractor), staff undergo in order to carry
out the contract for weed spraying and tree felling:

“Man Coed VM recognises the importance of having a workforce that possess
the skills, competencies and experience to enable tasks to be carried out
safely, efficiently and to the required quality, in what is considered a
high-risk industry sector, they continue to develop and maintain a skills
competency matrix for specific job roles which identifies the core skills
for employees and managers and records of staff and sub-contractor’s NPTC
and LANTRA certification. This includes ground based and aerial skills,
plant/equipment such as MEWPS and brushwood chippers and PA1, PA2a and PA6
for application of pesticides and herbicides. Man Coed VM is an accredited
as Arboricultural Association ‘Approved Contractor’ and are audited by the
association to ensure the company meets the scheme standards and complies
with their procedures, including training”.

Hope this assists you further.

Yours sincerely,

Chelsea Dalton

Information Management Officer

Business Management - ICT

Treasury Building

Argyle Street

Birkenhead

Wirral

CH41 1AH

Tel: 0151 666 5201

[1][Wirral Borough Council request email]

PLEASE FORWARD ALL FOI RESPONSES TO [2][Wirral Borough Council request email]

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.
If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager.

References

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1. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]
2. mailto:[Wirral Borough Council request email]