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With phase one of the Redesign of Building and Maintenance Division (BMD) now complete, phase two looks to cement the use of technology across sections while major work continues to create a super depot at Inchyra.

Robert Fotheringham, Senior Property Co-ordinator, and Council of the Future Redesign of BMD Project Manager, said: “Next year we’ll continue to see changes happen across the division. Currently, 68 staff are benefiting from mobile working and a further roll-out of technology to other teams is planned for the New Year. This will not only make people’s jobs easier, it will ensure a larger percentage of our customers benefit from a more efficient and responsive service.”

However, providing technology to teams used to dealing with paperwork means continuous training has to be offered to bring everyone’s skills up to speed.

Robert said: “A Systems Support Officer joined our team in 2017, and their focus is to help staff overcome any issues that arise while using their device. Funding through the Flexible Workforce Fund also allowed us to offer two-hour training sessions to staff on our initial pilot. We’ll look to tap into that funding scheme again to provide further training as more staff come on board.”

As well as providing training to employees joining the pilot, BMD will look to roll out a new IT customer service model.

“Digital technology is helping the service transform, reducing paperwork, increasing efficiencies and customer satisfaction rates are improving as a result,” Robert said. “The new customer service model will allow us to easily expand work scheduling across the full council area allowing staff to arrange appointments at a time that suits our customers.”

At the Inchyra depot building work continues to convert the location into BMD’s super depot, with roof upgrades ongoing and a new joinery workshop set to become operational in the New Year.

Robert said: “Our current workshop is too large so we converted an old hut into a bright and modern space. By getting the team involved in the design of the building right from the start it means the workshop is laid out to their specification. The old workshop will then be converted into storage facilities and a plant room, fully utilising the space available.

“Upgrading Inchyra Depot is a big task, but we have all the skills needed to do the job within our own division. That makes the transformation easier and provides staff with ownership of the project – as their hard work is helping to make it happen.”