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Question from: County Councillors Amanda Jenner and Graham Breeze Subject: Workforce in Waste and Refuse
Question:
We thank the portfolio holder for responding to our questions but would like to ask the following supplementary questions:
1. Whilst you have commented that the problems faced in Powys are part of a “national recruitment crisis” please can you provide a further answer in request of the following:
Is the Council reviewing possible common themes behind the ongoing issues with missed and delayed waste and recycling collections in order to try and improve the situation?
Whilst there may be national recruitment issues, please can you confirm whether you are reviewing exit interviews to assess the reasons why people are leaving? Are there any common sickness absence themes in this sector and are you reviewing how best to support employees with their health? Has the council carried out a comparison exercise with other surrounding local authorities and the private sector to ensure that the pay and employment benefits are as attractive as they can be? Does the council offer only fixed term or short term contracts and if so, why and is this the case in other local authorities?
2. With regard to training HGV Drivers – are the council sign posting applicants without the appropriate qualifications and experience to appropriate training providers? Is the Council working with any training providers in this regard? You state that Council staff have the opportunity to train as HGV drivers – can this training opportunity be provided to external applicants who have applied to work in this sector? Presumably not all vacancies need to be HGV drivers – what other qualifications are needed to work in this sector and what steps are the council taking to encourage those looking for work in this sector to obtain the required qualifications and experience?
3. With regard to the Council’s ongoing recruitment in this sector, please can you confirm: a. How many positions within the waste and recycling department have been vacant in June, July and August? b. How many applications have you received in each of June, July and August? c. How many positions have now been filled? d. How many positions are currently filled by agency workers? e. If someone applies for a job, how quickly should they hear from the council about whether or not they will be invited to the next stage? We are aware of applicants who have applied over three weeks ago and have not heard about whether they are to proceed.
We should be grateful if you could answer each of these questions in turn.
Minutes: Response by the Cabinet Member:
In order to address each of your questions I have copied them below with the responses underneath.
1a) Whilst you have commented that the problems faced in Powys are part of a “national recruitment crisis” please can you provide a further answer in request of the following:
Is the Council reviewing possible common themes behind the ongoing issues with missed and delayed waste and recycling collections in order to try and improve the situation?
We do review any reasons for missed and delayed collections and in this case it is principally down to the shortfall in the number of staff. There is unfortunately no escaping that there is a national recruitment crisis and this is affecting the private sector as much as the public sector. It is also affecting other authorities in the UK as has been widely reported in the media. It is of course very noticeable in Council Waste and Recycling Services as it immediately affects significant numbers of residents. Whilst still a problem for those departments trying to run essential services, staff shortfalls in other areas will only affect parts of the population to different extents.
1b) Whilst there may be national recruitment issues, please can you confirm whether you are reviewing exit interviews to assess the reasons why people are leaving?
Response: Exit interviews are emailed to all staff when they are made leavers on the Council’s Trent computer system. It is then at the discretion of the employee if they complete this. If they do, the data is stored by the Human Resources Team in line with GDPR requirements, with the service notified of any issues which need addressing. The service has not received any such notifications.
We do, however, ask staff why they are leaving and receive many different reasons including: - To work in the Council’s Highways Department - To work in other Council Departments - To work in a different type of role - To complete Apprenticeship/other studies - To work closer to home - To work in better paid roles - Retired/Ill Health/Died in Service - Didn’t like the job
There were no common themes, with only two stating that they had left for better paid roles and the same number because they didn’t like the job. It is important to note that this is very physical work in all weathers which doesn’t suit all.
1c) Are there any common sickness absence themes in this sector and are you reviewing how best to support employees with their health?
Response: Again there are a number of reasons why staff are off sick, including the following which have affected more than one member of staff, although not in significant numbers: - Covid 19 (note that until recently this has not been recorded as sick) - Anxiety/stress – not work related - Muscular Skeletal conditions - Sickness and diarrhoea - Low mood (as recorded on the fit note) - Chest Infection/Lung issues - Planned operations - Other issues ... view the full minutes text for item 1. |