Social workers told to use council branded pool cars

Social workers at South Lanarkshire Council are furious over changes to its car allowance scheme, according to local Unison and British Association of Social Workers reps.

Gone is the annual £500 car allowance and 40p mileage, to be replaced with a pool car system that requires 48 hours' notice to book a car.

The move is part of efforts to cut costs across the council. One worker at the council who wishes to remain anonymous told BASW: "We are working with people who have life and limb crises and they don't work to 48 hours' notice. It's really stressful. The inference is that we're going to save the money problems of the country just because we're not using our cars."

She added that she has had to cancel meetings with clients "because I can't get a car".

The social workers' fury continues over the type of pool car, which sadly do not resemble the car above, but rather come dressed in South Lanarkshire Council stickers.

The social worker said: "If you visit a service user their neighbours will know and people don't always want that."

Unison has also waded in to the debate. Stephen Smellie, one of the union's branch secretaries, says the pool car system is being abused, with some staff booking the car for a week at a time just in case they need it.

A council spokesperson told BASW the council is reviewing the pool car system.

Photo by Eddie Mulholland/Rex Features