'Handyman' roles needed in Mayo council for small repair jobs

THE council needs to employ staff to carry out repairs to its housing stock.

Councillor Gerry Murray feels that small works are getting bogged down in the procurement process, instead of sending a handyman in to resolve them.

Speaking at a municipal meeting, he cited some practical difficulties tenants are facing, from septic tanks not working, a door that can't be locked as it has the wrong hinges on it, to another home where there's been no damper for 12 months.

There seems to be a total reliance on private contractors whereas the council should be looking to recruit people to do these small maintenance jobs, he told a municipal district meeting.

He spoke of a flooding issue where the job - valued €1,000 - had to go to tender. This was totally impractical and he described procurement as a 'fiscal strait jacket'.

It's the small jobs, like two or three metres of footpath, that are annoying people.

The council, said Councillor Murray, has 2,000 homes in the county, bringing in €6.5 million in rental income. Those tenants were entitled to have on the ground maintenance to meet their smallest needs.

Councillor Adrian Forkan highlighted an issue in the Swinford area where there is a problem with a sewage pump, where it backs up and overflows into a resident's lawn.

He was told two years ago it had to go out for consideration for costings, etc.

“It must still be out there,” he commented. If it took two years to get procurement for a pump, he didn't know what it would take for a serious job.

Director of services Tom Gilligan disagreed on the points about procurement, saying he would not encourage any relaxing of the rules. It assured value for money, efficiency, transparency and compliance.

Councillor Murray was of the view that 'it's about striking the right balance'.