00:00It's a job that often means being out in the community, collecting waste, repairing
00:04roads, inspecting properties, but for many Wirral Council workers that work has become
00:09increasingly dangerous.
00:12Data released through a Freedom of Information request to Wirral Council shows the number
00:16of reported abuse incidents against staff and contractors has risen sharply over the
00:21past few years.
00:23In 2021, there were 38 incidents recorded the following year.
00:27That number fell slightly to 30, but by 2023, reports had more than doubled to 66, and in
00:332024, there were 93 cases.
00:37Between April and October of this year, 58 incidents have already been logged, suggesting the total
00:42for 2025 could climb even higher.
00:46Most of the reports involved verbal abuse, intimidation and threats, but many also described serious
00:51physical assaults.
00:53One employee had their home targeted when a brick was thrown through a window.
00:57Legal action has been taken twice in the last five years, once in 2021 and again in 2025.
01:03The council says it works closely with police and safety teams to monitor ongoing incidents.
01:09Wirral Council said it takes any form of abuse extremely seriously and urges all incidents
01:15to be reported through its internal system.
01:17The authority says data is reviewed quarterly by senior officers and shared with its anti-social
01:22behaviour team to help tackle repeat problems.
01:25Wirral Council's spokesperson added that the authority's health and safety team regularly
01:30reviews its reporting process to ensure staff are supported and serious cases are investigated
01:36appropriately.
01:36For staff on the ground, it's hoped those reviews will lead to better protection and fewer attacks
01:42in the months ahead.
