Staff Accessing College Buildings

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Dear West Highland College,

Under Freedom of Information Scotland, I wish to receive the following information within 20 working days:

1. Since lockdown until 19 June 2020, can you please provide details of the number of staff who have accessed the college buildings or otherwise travelled on college business? Can you please break this down into dates, roles, FTE numbers, duration in hours/minutes, reason for attendance and also indicate whether this was on a voluntary basis or for reasons connected with their substantive roles? 

2. Please advise whether there was prior consultation with Trade Unions before staff entered the building or travelled on college business? If not, please indicate your reasons.

3. Were Trade Unions involved in the drafting/agreement of risk assessments prior to staff accessing the buildings and did staff have sight of these prior to entry?

4. Did any staff members have to travel more than five miles in order to attend work under these circumstances? If so, how many?

5. Did any staff have to use public transport to attend work under these circumstances? If so, how many?

6. Was the decision to have staff attend work equality impact assessed? If not, why not?

Yours faithfully,

John Gallacher

WHC - FOI, West Highland College

Dear Mr Gallacher

Further to your FOI request, we would answer as below shown in CAPITALS.

1. Since lockdown until 19 June 2020, can you please provide details of the number of staff who have accessed the college buildings or otherwise travelled on college business? Can you please break this down into dates, roles, FTE numbers, duration in hours/minutes, reason for attendance and also indicate whether this was on a voluntary basis or for reasons connected with their substantive roles?

THERE HAVE BEEN X5 STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS KEY WORKERS WHO HAVE ACCESSED COLLEGE BUILDINGS, OR TRAVELLED ON COLLEGE BUSINESS SINCE THE START OF LOCKDOWN TO THE 19TH JUNE. STAFF HAVE ATTENDED COLLEGE BUILDINGS DUE TO REASONS CONNECTED TO THEIR SUBSTANTIVE ROLES, UNDERTAKING STATUTORY CHECKS AND ESSENTIAL MAINTENANCE.

FACILITIES MANAGER - X2 DAYS/WEEK FOR PERIOD TO 1ST MAY, X3 DAYS PER WEEK FOR PERIOD TO 19TH JUNE
FACILITIES OFFICER (X1 IN FORT WILLIAM) - X5 DAYS PER WEEK
FACILITIES OFFICER (X2 IN PORTREE) - X2 DAYS PER WEEK
CATERING MANAGER - X3 DAYS PER WEEK (2 HOURS DURATION PER DAY) TO PREPARE PACKED LUNCHES FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES IN LOCAL AREA.

2. Please advise whether there was prior consultation with Trade Unions before staff entered the building or travelled on college business? If not, please indicate your reasons.

THERE WAS NO PRIOR CONSULTATION WITH TRADE UNIONS, AS UNIONS DO NOT PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE AT THE COLLEGE.

3. Were Trade Unions involved in the drafting/agreement of risk assessments prior to staff accessing the buildings and did staff have sight of these prior to entry?

SEE ABOVE RE UNIONS. THERE WAS COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE COLLEGE'S MANAGEMENT GROUP AND HEALTH & SAFETY AUDIT COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS AND AGREE ACCESS BY THE ABOVE STAFF.

4. Did any staff members have to travel more than five miles in order to attend work under these circumstances? If so, how many?

X2 FACILITIES STAFF MEMBERS TRAVELLED TO CARRY OUT SECURITY & MAINTENANCE CHECKS ON NEIGHBOURING CENTRES - MAX. TRAVEL DISTANCE WAS 80 MILES RETURN JOURNEY. THIS WAS DONE X1 DAY/WEEK FOR EACH OF THE STAFF MEMBERS.

5. Did any staff have to use public transport to attend work under these circumstances? If so, how many?

NO. COLLEGE POOL CARS WERE AVAILABLE FOR THIS PURPOSE.

6. Was the decision to have staff attend work equality impact assessed? If not, why not?

STAFF ATTENDED DUE TO IT BEING WITHIN THEIR SUBSTANTIVE JOB ROLE, AND WITH THEIR AGREEMENT.

I hope the above provides the information requested, but if you have other queries, please contact me.

Best regards

Roddy MacPhee
Finance & Compliance Manager

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