Floods: 'Plenty of tradesmen'

6:54am Wednesday 6th February 2008

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TRADESMEN in Oxford have hit back at suggestions there are not enough local workers to bail out flood victims in the city.

Self-employed plasterer Joe Digweed said he was surprised to read that flood-hit residents off Botley Road felt they were living in a ghost town because of the perceived shortage.

The 35-year-old from Barton, a painter and decorator for 18 years, knew plenty of plumbers, electricians, carpenters and decorators who would jump at the chance of some extra work.

"It is a shame that these people are saying there is a shortage," he said. "There are lots of tradesmen in the Oxford area who would be grateful for the work, but are getting bypassed.

"We could be putting in quotes but are not being given the chance because insurance firms and local residents do not get hold of us.

"I had very few jobs in January and I know lots of tradesmen are finding it very slow.

"I would say that there are quite a few traders in the Oxford area who could be benefiting from this sort of work, especially the small firms, and I would assume most Oxford residents would want to use a local firm."

Plasterer and bricklayer Martin Finch, 34, said workmen from as far afield as Wales were being given work local tradesmen could undertake and cheap foreign labour was also pricing out local firms.

"Local people for local jobs," he said. "There are so many local people who are without work because people are coming from other places."

Oxford carpenter Keith Nutt added: "I have not had any inquiries from local people and I have not had any insurance companies approach me. They tend to work with their own people."

Last week, we reported that one Earl Street landlord, who was told he faced a long wait for a local plasterer, hired a contractor from Berwick-upon-Tweed, near Scotland, to carry out the work.

However, a spokesman for the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, said it was common for labour to move around the country.

He said: "The key thing is to get workers who are properly qualified to do the work.

"If they are local there are obvious advantages, but it's more important they have the right skills."

Direct Line, which - along with Churchill and Green Flag - forms part of insurance giant RBS Insurance, encouraged tradesmen who felt they were being ignored to get in touch.

Spokesman Lucy Davies said: "Direct Line has a network of approved tradesmen.

"We use tradesmen in the local area if possible as long as they are on our list. Tradesmen can apply to be on our preferred list of suppliers by contacting Direct Line."