Government repairman who travelled 175 miles just to change a lightbulb
A MAINTENANCE worker employed by the Government travelled 175 miles to change a few light bulbs, it was revealed last night.
The repairman drove from London to Cheshire to replace bulbs in a civil service office, claimed a report by probation officers’ union Napo.
Contractors paid to carry out simple maintenance tasks are regularly travelling sizeable distances across the country.
A centralised system of arranging contracts for Government maintenance work meant local companies were no longer carrying out simple tasks, the report warned.
Staff reported electricians travelling from Manchester to Aberystwyth in west Wales to change light fittings.
In another case, a plumber drove from Birmingham to Norwich to repair a toilet seat.
Napo assistant general secretary Harry Fletcher said: “It is quite clear that millions is being wasted by the National Offender Management Service [part of the Ministry of Justice] on incompetent maintenance contracts.”
