Costly crashes for SBC as bill hits over £270k

The council has forked out more than £270,000 in three years on insurance claims following collisions involving SBC vehicles.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Jul 2014, 12:00 BST
Scottish Borders Council has been hit with 570 insurance claims in three years following alleged collisions involvings its vehiclesScottish Borders Council has been hit with 570 insurance claims in three years following alleged collisions involvings its vehicles
Scottish Borders Council has been hit with 570 insurance claims in three years following alleged collisions involvings its vehicles

Between 2011 and 2013 the council was hit with 570 insurance claims, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

The Southern Reporter has since discovered that the council, or its employees, have been found at fault in more than a third of these instances, and that a total of £272,925 has been paid out on the back of the claims.

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A council spokesman said: “The paid figure is a gross cost and a percentage is recovered via the council’s insurer.

“The council has in place an ‘Accident Reduction Scheme’ which has seen the majority of refuse vehicles fitted with cameras and has helped to reduce the number of incidents where the council was at fault.

“There has also been a 20 per cent decrease in repeat incidents in the last financial year.”

Asked if disciplinary action had been taken in the light of the claims, the spokesman responded: “The Accident Reduction Scheme does not look to take disciplinary action against drivers unless there has been serious misconduct.

“Instead, the cause of the incident is identified and future risk is reduced by training or changes to the vehicle or operational area.”

SBC operates 385 vehicles in its fleet.