THERE'S been a four-fold increase in 'problem' addresses where Fife Council workers or councillors may face threats or physical attacks.

There are safety fears for local authority staff who have reported "increasing levels of violence" and aggression as well as "extreme behaviour issues" with the number of properties where they've experienced trouble shooting up from 12 to 47 inside a year.

The council have a violent marker system (VMS) that holds the addresses of individuals that may put employees at risk during home visits or remote working.

And a report to the finance, economy and corporate services scrutiny committee said: "At the start of April 2022 there were 12 addresses recorded on the VMS, at the end of the financial year in March 2023, this had increased to 47, of which, 75 per cent were reported through housing services.

"Whether it is because of better reporting, an increase in extreme behavioural issues or a combination of the two, is unclear.

Central Fife Times: Fife Council are concerned about the personal safety of their lone workers. Fife Council are concerned about the personal safety of their lone workers. (Image: Fife Council)

"It is worth noting many of those on the VMS have mental health issues and / or involvement with social work.

"Health issues may be partly due to the legacy of the COVID lockdowns."

The report added: "With increasing levels of violence, aggression and threat being reported, awareness and safe personal safety practice is important, as is the use of the lone worker fobs.

"Elected members can use a lone worker fob and can also contact legal and democratic services before undertaking home visits who will access relevant information on the VMS on their behalf."

The committee was told the fobs, essentially an SOS button that discreetly sends the device's GPS location to colleagues, are one of a number of 'control measures' that can be used to help lone workers and their use has increased in the past six months.

Head of HR Sharon McKenzie said: "The type of device we use is one that's alarmed to a notification centre.

"Predominantly it's lone workers who are going out to situations, social care staff for example, who may be going into a client's home and some situations where there are some difficulties faced."

Councillors were advised that a 'violent marker review group' looks into the reported incidents and ensures named individuals added to VMS are advised.