LESS than twenty per cent of BCP council staff have completed the mandatory training they should have.

The situation is said to put the authority at increasing risk of a breach of duties which can carry heavy fines.

Most staff say they simply do not have the time to undertake the training.

The 19.29 per cent completion figure is said to be an improvement on previous periods.

Staff have to compete nine modules over a three year period covering a range of topics relevant to their duties.

“A lack of training significantly increases the risk of a breach of those duties which carry significant financial penalties…Failure to clear follow process and evidence actions could also increase the risk of a judicial review which would be costly to defend even if successful,” said a report to the council overview and scrutiny committee.

It gives an example of a council fined £100,000 after two social workers were assaulted and the council concerned was later found not to have followed its lone working policy or violence and aggression guidance. No risk assessment had been carried out and the staff were not trained properly for the situation.

BCP Council leader Cllr Drew Mellor said there would now be a push on improving the council’s figures for training.

“There is more we can, and should be doing, to free up staff for training,” he told the committee…”We are behind the curve but we will get there.”