Agenda item

To receive a report from the Head of People, Governance and Waste on an update on both the Establishment of the Council together with its performance.

The Committee had before it and NOTED a *report from Head of People, Performance and Waste.

The following was highlighted in the report:

• The six month update report complemented the Annual Establishment Report and Pay Policy which was presented to Cabinet each February.
• Since the last report in February – 2024/2025 had seen some of the best performances for turnover, sickness and agency spend in recent years.
• The data for 2025/2026 was running very close to those same figures with a further update being presented in February 2026.
• A staff survey would be carried out in early 2026 and would include questions tailored to meet the needs of the Council’s workforce with Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on the horizon and the changes in the way some services were delivered.
• Staff were regularly updated through staff briefings, internal communications on the progress of LGR although details at the moment were limited.
• The 2025/2026 pay award had been signed off at the start of August – this was the earliest it had been concluded in many years.
• The Local Government Association (LGA) were keen to explore a three year settlement for the years 2026/2027, 2027/2028 and 2028/2029.

The Operations Manager for People Services further explained the following:

• 2024/2025 saw the lowest sickness absence levels since the pandemic with 7.35 days per full time equivalent (FTE) this was a significant reduction from the 10.45 days seen in 2023/2024.
• Staff turnover in 2024/2025 finished at 16.3%, the lowest since the pandemic.
• Agency spending during 2024/2025 was lower compared to the previous financial year.
• The Council continued to support apprentices. There were currently 16 apprentices across all Council services.
• Reviewing the data from the year ending 2024 showed that 90% of the Council’s apprentices became employees.
• Work was being undertaken to consider improvements for work experience pupils in 2026.
• Staff welcomed the six monthly checks offered by colleagues in Active Mid Devon and this would continue.
• Communications would continue with staff regarding LGR.

Discussion took place with regard to:

• Whether there would be an increase in turnover as the Council moved forwards with LGR and was anything in place to deal with that. It was explained that the exit interview data did not show so far LGR as reason for people to leave. This may change over the next 2 years as staff consider their options. This would be closely monitored.
• The importance of offering work experience placements.
• The proportion of staff interviewed upon exit.  It was explained that an exit interview was offered to all staff.  In the last three months there had been several months where 100% of exit interviews had taken place.  This was currently being reviewed in terms of the process and content of the interview to reduce the possibility of exit interviews reducing in the future.
• How LGR was affecting the recruitment process.  It was explained that based on data there had not been a drop in applications. Some roles were more difficult to recruit to and it was not always possible to find the skill or knowledge in-house. 
• How to reduce staff sickness absences further. It was explained that every absence was treated on a case-by-case basis.
• The factors of those increases in the number of employees. It was explained that the figures were across the whole of the year. The increase in total Taxable Gross Pay, national insurance and pension contributions.  This needed to be investigated further.  Whether information could be shared from other authorities which could be compared as a guide to assessing statistics.  At the moment that information is/may not be available and may not be in the public domain.
• The work and commitment from officers and managers across the Council in reducing sickness absence.
• Whether officers were aware of expected agency fee expenditure. 

Note: *report previously circulated.