Agenda item

This report provides the latest information on the Workforce for 2025/26.

Discussion

The Chief Organisational Culture Officer introduced the report which provided the latest information on the workforce for 2025/26 and requested that it move to an annual report to allow full year comparison.

Workforce growth and turnover – the almost 10% growth in workforce with little additional output was queried. The Chief Organisational Culture Officer reminded Members that there had previously been a number of reports to full Council looking at increasing some of the back office provision in Children and Adults, Legal, HR and Finance. This had been due to the sheer demand and increase in activity, as well as reduced government funding. It was also important to note that there had also been vacancy freezes for many years. Any appointments were within the budget agreed by full Council.

The Chief Organisational Culture Officer further advised that part of the turnover issue was burn out from operating with vacancies and people managing very high caseloads, and it was necessary to ensure appropriate numbers of staff to ensure manageable caseloads. Some additional resource had also been brought in for the Local Government Reform work (LGR), the MedPay review, recruitment and legal. She did not have a full breakdown of exact numbers but it could be provided on request. With specific reference to one year turnover, it was high and work was ongoing to resolve this such as better inductions and looking at recruitment and how positions were advertised in the market. Some of the figures would also be resources where there had previously been grant funding and fixed term appointments.

Annual comparators with other organisations were carried out in June which was why it was being requested that this report be changed to an annual report.

Stress and anxiety – the Chief Organisational Culture Officer advised that as Members were aware a new Sickness Policy had been introduced and the bite sized training continued to be delivered. Reasonable adjustments were being introduced so that returnees could ease themselves back with part-time adjustments. The occupational health provision was the care first provision to support people and this would be going up for retender next year, which provided an opportunity to consider more professional support for colleagues.

The staff survey had highlighted that many managers did not feel well equipped to support staff who were experiencing mental ill health issues and stress. To this end work was being done with a healthy mind and well-being group around how managers could be supported better. There was also ongoing work with the Public Health team around healthy workplaces. The Chief Organisational Culture Officer offered to report back to a future meeting on the action plan being put in place.

Salary transparency – in response to a query as to how many members of staff had salaries exceeding £50k, the Chief Organisational Culture Officer advised that this information could be obtained on the Council’s website transparency pages.

Equality and diversity – it was noted that declaration rates remained low despite continued work on building trust and improving reporting, particularly around disability and neurodiversity.

The Equality Board was active and conversant with the various networks. The Board’s annual report would be submitted to this Committee in due course. There had been a confidential open forum recently, discussing harassment and bullying, and discrimination. The trusted conversations had given insight into some micro aggressions and some suggested key areas for deep dives. It had also opened up a conversation on whether neuro-diversity was seen as a disability. Building trust was key to better reporting, as well as use of language.

Members noted the Joint Consultative Committee comments from the earlier

meeting.

Decision:

a)       The Committee noted the 6 month workforce update 2025/26 and further supported data as set out in the Appendices 1 - 4 to the report.

b)       The Committee agreed the report should move to yearly reporting, to align with the workforce strategy review, acknowledging there was quarterly senior oversight and review in place already.

c)       The Committee requested that the action plan on absence management under healthy workplaces be presented at a future meeting.