A chilly spell in Angus Council’s headquarters in Forfar last week had employees reaching for their thermoses and gloves, it has emerged.
Several council employees contacted The Courier to complain about what they described as ”medieval” conditions after the heating system apparently broke down.
While there were general mumblings about the temperature, the council said the chill at William Wallace House was down to a misfiring boiler.
One worker said: ”Angus Council have reduced the heating in their buildings to a degree where staff are sitting at their desks with coats and hats on and literally freezing at their work stations.
”I understand that everybody has to cut back costs but don’t you think this might just be a step too far?”
The employee said staff were reluctant to speak to their employer or the press ”in today’s climate” but he was keen to have the situation investigated.
Another William Wallace House employee said the norm in some departments was to complain a little bit but not too loudly.
She said: ”I’m not particularly bolshie and the trend is for working conditions to get a little bit worse for everyone, but I feel council staff are given a disproportionately hard time when it comes to big and little things.
”When you’re talking about not really getting to lift your head up and eating your lunch at your desk most days, it’s all cumulative. Freezing our behinds off is just another wee thing big thing I suppose if you forget an extra jumper but it all adds up.”
An Angus Council spokeswoman said: ”I can confirm that one of the heating boilers at William Wallace House failed a week past Tuesday, and was repaired on Monday. Staff were informed of the problem and temporary heaters were available.”
Another employee who works in a different Forfar office voiced her concerns that recent financial difficulties are forcing the local authority to decrease temperatures.
”It’s been far too cold in our office since about October,” she said. ”The last two weeks (since January 12) I swear I’ve lost feeling in my toes. It’s medieval.”