DoI not fit for purpose

[Zarley]

I've found out what Greenhow did before he moved here in 1999...

 

[Ramseyboi]

Another DOI cockup and a mf photo credit.  What’s not to like?

A bus driver who was unfairly dismissed following a crash in Onchan has been awarded a £60,000 payout by an employment tribunal.

Robert Corrin was fired by the DoI after the accident which saw a bus roll down a hill and crash into a house in Onchan on July 28, 2018. However the investigation into his dismissal was found to have been flawed by the tribunal.

The tribunal, chaired by Douglas Stewart, had already ruled in favour of Mr Corrin, however as the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on the settlement, the tribunal was tasked with deciding upon the award of compensation.

In reaching its decision on compensation, the tribunal panel again stated that the original decision by Director of Transport Ian Longworth was ‘correct on the information placed before him and therefore, as previously decided by this Tribunal, a finding of gross misconduct was justified (although had Mr Longworth been properly briefed, such a finding would have been impossible to justify)’.

The panel agreed that Mr Corrin, who was a well thought of and popular member of staff, was entitled to a basic award of £4,816 plus loss of earnings, lost pension benefits, loss of statutory rights and loss of free bus travel totalling £415,210.36. However following the imposition of the statutory cap of £56,000 on the compensation award plus the adding of the basic award, give a final total award of £60,816.

The Tribunal

Mr Corrin had been fired for gross misconduct for accidently permitting his bus to run away on a hill. He had not applied the handbrake but had relied on what was known as the hold-brake. This was sufficient to hold the bus safe on a hill unless, as happened, the driver turns off the electrics by using the isolator-switch. However it transpired that drivers were not given training on this and this was a commonly done thing amongst bus drivers. 

Following an internal investigation, Mr Corrin was dismissed, with his appeal being rejected by Mr Longworth. However the tribunal had heard that not only was proper training not given to drivers as to when to use the hold-brake and why it shouldn’t be relied upon. It had also ruled that ‘the dismissal was unfair because of the inadequate investigations that had been made and the flawed procedure followed’.  

And added: ‘On a proper investigation, facts would have been found which would have put the circumstances of the bus running away into a fair and proper perspective.’

This included that Mr Longworth and his deputy Ian Bates ‘had been unaware of the common practice of drivers to use the switch in the mornings before setting off in the buses’.

Photo from Manx Forums: https://www.manxforums.com/forums/index.php?/topic/63713-tram-bus-incidents/&tab=comments#comment-1283257

[Peter Layman]

25 minutes ago, Ramseyboi said:

Another DOI cockup and a mf photo credit.  What’s not to like?

A bus driver who was unfairly dismissed following a crash in Onchan has been awarded a £60,000 payout by an employment tribunal.

Robert Corrin was fired by the DoI after the accident which saw a bus roll down a hill and crash into a house in Onchan on July 28, 2018. However the investigation into his dismissal was found to have been flawed by the tribunal.

The tribunal, chaired by Douglas Stewart, had already ruled in favour of Mr Corrin, however as the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on the settlement, the tribunal was tasked with deciding upon the award of compensation.

In reaching its decision on compensation, the tribunal panel again stated that the original decision by Director of Transport Ian Longworth was ‘correct on the information placed before him and therefore, as previously decided by this Tribunal, a finding of gross misconduct was justified (although had Mr Longworth been properly briefed, such a finding would have been impossible to justify)’.

The panel agreed that Mr Corrin, who was a well thought of and popular member of staff, was entitled to a basic award of £4,816 plus loss of earnings, lost pension benefits, loss of statutory rights and loss of free bus travel totalling £415,210.36. However following the imposition of the statutory cap of £56,000 on the compensation award plus the adding of the basic award, give a final total award of £60,816.

The Tribunal

Mr Corrin had been fired for gross misconduct for accidently permitting his bus to run away on a hill. He had not applied the handbrake but had relied on what was known as the hold-brake. This was sufficient to hold the bus safe on a hill unless, as happened, the driver turns off the electrics by using the isolator-switch. However it transpired that drivers were not given training on this and this was a commonly done thing amongst bus drivers. 

Following an internal investigation, Mr Corrin was dismissed, with his appeal being rejected by Mr Longworth. However the tribunal had heard that not only was proper training not given to drivers as to when to use the hold-brake and why it shouldn’t be relied upon. It had also ruled that ‘the dismissal was unfair because of the inadequate investigations that had been made and the flawed procedure followed’.  

And added: ‘On a proper investigation, facts would have been found which would have put the circumstances of the bus running away into a fair and proper perspective.’

This included that Mr Longworth and his deputy Ian Bates ‘had been unaware of the common practice of drivers to use the switch in the mornings before setting off in the buses’.

Photo from Manx Forums: https://www.manxforums.com/forums/index.php?/topic/63713-tram-bus-incidents/&tab=comments#comment-1283257

Longworth's a prick

[Advocates Devil]

And lets not forget that they tried to throw this guy under the bus within 2 hours of the incident! The IOM Government controlled bus company, told the IOM Government controlled radio station that the driver was not on the bus at time, and that there was no mechanical problems with the bus. I cant get my car serviced in 2 hours, let alone conduct a full investigation. What has not been reported was that this same handbrake issue happened twice before, and was covered up. Mr Corrin's bus didn't have anyone onboard, whereas the other two both had passengers on them. This was all about getting rid of one of the drivers that was on one of the old, more lucrative contracts. DOI will see this as a win today. Not fit for purpose is an understatement.

[Numbnuts]

2 minutes ago, offshoremanxman said:

If Alfie was ever to pick a day to push some good news out the door that Black, Robinson and Longworth are leaving then today is the day. It’s a shame the prom is now shut as it would delay the inevitable street party should such an announcement be made. 

Prom shut ?? Not literally surely ? 

[James Blonde]

Breaking up the DOI need not be difficult. But it needs to be done with the motivation from Alf Cannan and his new Comin - not from external consultants who will once again suggest layer upon layer of new management. 

 

1. Dissolve the current senior management layer with all positions being made redundant

2. New divisions - Highways, Ports and Properties, Transit (Bus Vannin) 

3. 'Heritage Railways' move to MNH, Election/LA responsibilities move to Cabinet Office. 

It will take a few hundreds of thousands to clear the current chaff out, but well worth it in the long-term.  

[Peter Layman]

4 minutes ago, James Blonde said:

Breaking up the DOI need not be difficult. But it needs to be done with the motivation from Alf Cannan and his new Comin - not from external consultants who will once again suggest layer upon layer of new management. 

 

1. Dissolve the current senior management layer with all positions being made redundant

2. New divisions - Highways, Ports and Properties, Transit (Bus Vannin) 

3. 'Heritage Railways' move to MNH, Election/LA responsibilities move to Cabinet Office. 

It will take a few hundreds of thousands to clear the current chaff out, but well worth it in the long-term.  

A few hundred thousand for what? IOM Government where you can be paid handsomely for being incompetent

[Numbnuts]

5 minutes ago, James Blonde said:

Breaking up the DOI need not be difficult. But it needs to be done with the motivation from Alf Cannan and his new Comin - not from external consultants who will once again suggest layer upon layer of new management. 

 

1. Dissolve the current senior management layer with all positions being made redundant

2. New divisions - Highways, Ports and Properties, Transit (Bus Vannin) 

3. 'Heritage Railways' move to MNH, Election/LA responsibilities move to Cabinet Office. 

It will take a few hundreds of thousands to clear the current chaff out, but well worth it in the long-term.  

Think its going to cost more than a few hundred thousand tbh . Aren't CS entitled to 3 years salary plus pension etc on redundency ??  

[Peter Layman]

1 minute ago, Numbnuts said:

Think its going to cost more than a few hundred thousand tbh . Aren't CS entitled to 3 years salary plus pension etc on redundency ??  

In that case just sack the lot of them. Cite all the fuck ups they have presided over

[CallMeCurious]

4 minutes ago, Peter Layman said:

A few hundred thousand for what? IOM Government where you can be paid handsomely for being incompetent

Already

 

9 minutes ago, James Blonde said:

Breaking up the DOI need not be difficult. But it needs to be done with the motivation from Alf Cannan and his new Comin - not from external consultants who will once again suggest layer upon layer of new management. 

 

1. Dissolve the current senior management layer with all positions being made redundant

2. New divisions - Highways, Ports and Properties, Transit (Bus Vannin) 

3. 'Heritage Railways' move to MNH, Election/LA responsibilities move to Cabinet Office. 

It will take a few hundreds of thousands to clear the current chaff out, but well worth it in the long-term.  

Already had a Beaman report  https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/cabinet-office/independent-review-of-the-department-of-infrastructure/

I believe the gist of it was 'more project managers'. 

Review/propose improved processes to control scope creep/client management

Once the contract is under way, no changes to the design by the client. For example extending slides mid-way through the contract.

 

[SislemanJ]

The DoI is an disgrace.  Let's take this morning for example.  It has rained for a couple of days and as a consequence the main road into Douglas from the South this morning was CLOSED due to flooding.  Flooding on the road at the bottom of Brown Cow Hill where a stream passes under the road - right where it floods.  This is not the first time this has happened, nor sadly will it be the last.  The solution seems fairly obvious to me - put a drain in that is effectively a hole in the road into the stream below.  But that will be too simple and too cheap.

And let's not start on the roadworks in Ballasalla that started in April and were scheduled to finish in July.  It's now November and their ability to apply the new surface will be adversely affected by the bad weather at this time of year.  And before anyone says it's Dandara doing the work - Dandara are not responsible for our roads, nor did they grant permission for this work to take place in the first place.  Lets not even mention the lack of plan of how the by-pass is going to emerge into Ballasalla village.

[Andy Onchan]

On 10/30/2021 at 5:41 PM, 2112 said:

Howard Quayle - he likes official openings

And unofficial ones!

[Ramseyboi]

38 minutes ago, Peter Layman said:

In that case just sack the lot of them. Cite all the fuck ups they have presided over

That’s not how it works though is it.

Unless there are already on a number of warnings or someone can probe gross misconduct you can’t just turf people out these days.  Lots of processes and policies to be adhered to despite them being useless.  Best bet is to “encourage” resignations 

[Happier diner]

10 minutes ago, SislemanJ said:

 

And let's not start on the roadworks in Ballasalla that started in April and were scheduled to finish in July.  It's now November and their ability to apply the new surface will be adversely affected by the bad weather at this time of year.  And before anyone says it's Dandara doing the work - Dandara are not responsible for our roads, nor did they grant permission for this work to take place in the first place.  Lets not even mention the lack of plan of how the by-pass is going to emerge into Ballasalla village.

I think Dandara are doing the works, via a subcontractor. However the DOI should not be allowing them to take the piss as they are doing. 00's of commuters held up twice a day. Queued at road works that should have been completed months ago. No sign of urgency. 

[Happier diner]

2 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

And unofficial ones!

You mean off limits.