SHOCK figures revealed today show just how much the compensation culture has taken over in Kirklees.

The Examiner can reveal for the first time what council taxpayers are forking out following accidents at schools.

Figures obtained from Kirklees Council under the Freedom of Information Act show the LEA had to defend claims totalling nearly £185,000 from December 2005 to December 2006.

Some £245,000 was claimed in the following 12 months and almost £140,000 between December 2007 and 2008. Not all was paid out though.

The highest claim was for £60,000, which was claimed by an employee who suffered a break or fracture caused by defective equipment on March 30, 2006 at Crow Lane Junior and Infants School in Milnsbridge.

Other large claimants include:

An employee claimed £31,000 for a bruise, sprain or strain caused by defective equipment at Marsden Junior School on August 17, 2006.

An employee claimed £20,888 after an assault causing an eye injury at Newsome High School on November 1, 2006.

An employee who picked up an infection at Fartown High School on March 9, 2007  claimed £9,000.

A pupil who injured their finger at St Paulinus Catholic Primary School in Dewsbury on April 30, 2007 claimed £23,750.

An employee who injured their back doing “unusual lifting” at Earlsheaton Technology College on September 26, 2007 claimed £17,500.

A pupil who suffered a bruise, sprain or strain because of lack of supervision at Colne Valley High School on February 28, 2008 claimed £7,500.

Much of the money in these claims is still outstanding and they are not classed as settled.

The council’s Cabinet member for schools Clr Jim Dodds is concerned that too many claims are being made.

He said: “We’re becoming more and more like America where it’s the done thing to claim if you have an accident.

“There are more and more people jumping on the bandwagon and you can see that with the number of ads on the telly encouraging people to claim if they have had an accident.”

But the Conservative councillor added: “If there’s a genuine accident because of a fault with the system then there’s nothing wrong with the system having to pay out.”

Clr Dodds said that schools in Kirklees were trying to cut the number of accidents.

He said: “I believe schools are doing all they can to make sure they comply with all health and safety legislation, but you can never legislate for a genuine accident.”

Kirklees Labour leader Clr Mehboob Khan agreed.

He said: “My own children have had accidents at school, it’s all part of the rough and tumble of growing up.

“We need to ensure that health and safety procedures are followed to prevent serious accidents, but cuts and grazes happen when you’ve got thousands of children running around.”

Clr Khan added: “Any money claimed is money taken away from frontline services.”

Examples of claims

ACCIDENT ONE

A six-year-old boy lost the tip of a finger at Brownhill Infant School in Batley on January 11, 2007. The accident happened when heavy wind blew a door closed on his hand.

Head teacher Carol Crossland said: "It was an extremely windy day and the wind caught one of the doors, trapping the little boy’s finger. He lost the tip of his finger but it was sewn back on."

Mrs Crossland added that the school has taken measures to make sure a similar incident doesn’t happen. She said: "We don’t use that entrance when it’s windy."

The boy claimed £25,000.

ACCIDENT 2

A dinner lady slipped on some jelly left on the floor of the canteen at Berry Brow Infant and Nursery School on October 11, 2007.

Head teacher Jacqui Hall said: "From the school’s point of view it was a one-off caused by a young child dropping jelly on the floor."

Staff at the school are trying to stop any repeat of the incident.

Mrs Hall said: "We have a legal duty to make sure this doesn’t happen again. It’s about us reminding children that if they drop food on the floor they need to say something so that it’s cleared up."

The dinner lady claimed £8,000.

Accident 3

A cleaning lady fell at Shelley College on October 3, 2006 suffering cuts and bruises.

She was on her way out of the school when she fell, though she is not believed to have tripped over anything. The cleaning lady had to have a minor operation on her knee after the fall.

She received £10,000

See the full list of claims in the last year on the next page.

Period 3/12/07 to 2/12/08

Department (School) Name,  Incident Date,  Cause Description,  Injury Description,  Total Claim,  Claimant

Park Road J.I.& N. School 05/12/2007 Fall - Slippery Floor Bruise/Sprain/Strain 8,000.00 Employee

Pentland I. & N. School 06/12/2007 Accident None 0.00 Employee

Rowley Lane J.I.& N. School 12/12/2007 Accident Other - Unspecified 1,000.00 Pupil

Whitechapel Middle School 24/01/2008 Fall - Other Break/Fracture 12,000.00 Employee

Salendine Nook High School 29/01/2008 Theft as baillee None 69.99 Pupil

Flatts Nursery School 07/02/2008 Accident On Council Prems Eye(s) 7,000.00 Third party

Leeside J.I.& N. School 19/02/2008 Lack of Supervision Other - Unspecified 7,500.00 Pupil

Birkenshaw Ce (C) F. & N. School 20/02/2008 Surface Defect-Slippery Various 20,000.00 Parent

Carlinghow Princess Royal J.I.& N. 26/02/2008 Severe Weather None 840.51 Employee

Nortonthorpe Hall School 26/02/2008 Vandalism N one 275.00 Third party

Colne Valley High School 28/02/2008 Lack of Supervision Bruise/Sprain/Strain 7,500.00 Pupil

Golcar J.I.& N. School 12/03/2008 Severe Weather None 0.00 Employee

Royds Hall High School 01/06/2008 Accident Break/Fracture 0.00 Pupil

Ravensthorpe Ce (C) Junior School 02/06/2008 Faulty Equipment Bruise/Sprain/Strain 9,000.00 Employee

Salendine Nook High School 18/06/2008 Theft as baillee None 29.99 Pupil

Ravensthorpe Ce (C) Junior School 18/06/2008 Use Of Sports Equipment Break/Fracture 10,000.00 Pupil

Almondbury High School & Language College 23/06/2008 Uncoded None 69.99 Pupil

Battyeford Ce (C) J.& I. School 01/07/2008 Surface Defect-Uneven Bruise/Sprain/Strain 9,000.00 Pupil

Knowles Hill I.& N. School 01/09/2008 Fall - Other Break/Fracture 9,000.00 Employee

Birkdale High School 08/09/2008 Fall - Slippery Floor Bruise/Sprain/Strain 23,100.00 Employee

Newsome High School & Sports College 08 - 22 09/10/2008 Theft as baillee None 184.95 Pupil

Colne Valley High School 14/10/2008 Council Works None 0.00 Pupil

Ravensthorpe Ce (C) Junior School 06/11/2008 Accident Head Injury 1,000.00 Pupil

Honley High School & College 06/11/2008 Accident On Council Prems Whiplash 3,650.00 Third party

Birkdale High School 13/11/2008 Fall - Other Break/Fracture 10,000.00 Employee

139,220.43

NB) Not all claims were paid out and of those which were agreed a number have an amount outstanding.