STEPS are to be taken to ensure that managers within Dumfries and Galloway Council carry out basic 30-minute training they have skipped.
An internal audit of the local authority revealed that management who were recruiting staff to council departments had not finished mandatory online training.
The issue was discussed at the council’s audit, risk and scrutiny committee on Tuesday where Stranraer and the Rhins Councillor Willie Scobie asked for more information about this training failure.
Richard Fox, the council’s internal audit manager, responded: “There’s online training available for all staff who are recruiting managers to complete.
“The council launched a new portal last year which allows it to track much more effectively whether staff have completed that training.
“As part of the testing, we’ve established that a lot of the managers hadn’t done that basic training.
“However, it is mandatory and the council is working over the course of this year to ensure that all staff have completed all mandatory training – not just in HR but other aspects such as health and safety, and child protection.”
He added: “It’s an issue that’s to be addressed. It’s a simple half hour course.”
It is now being recommended that senior line managers should also conduct more regular reviews to ensure that managers “carry out and complete their training responsibilities as per the mandatory requirements.”
