Tribunal success for builder's employees

Former employees of a Galashiels building firm which went into administration last year could be awarded more than Â£300,000 owed to them.

Murray and Burrell folded in November 2016, leaving 38 employees out of a job, but administrator Richard Gardiner says they are due about £34,000 in unpaid wages, and that is being treated as a preferential claim, meaning it will be amongst the first to be settled.

On top of that, they are in line for £187,500 for notice or redundancy, though that is being treated as an ordinary claim.

However, 15 staff have won a tribunal for a further £109,000, citing lack of consultation, and £8,500 of that will be a preferential claim.

It is believed a large amount of ordinary claims will be paid out when the company’s assets are sold.

While the builders’ yard in Galashiels has been sold to a pension fund originated by former director Alexander Kemp for £167,000, and the Craigpark Court project has been sold to a social housing provider for £540,000, several sites and properties are yet to be sold, including sites at Buckholm North, Lower Buckholm and Botany Mill in Galashiels, and land in Lilliesleaf.