Agenda item

The Service Director Human Resources and Business Support will submit a report on the current position with regard to sickness absence for the financial year 2016/17 and providing a comparison and summary for the whole of the financial year 2016/17 and the previous financial year 2015/16.

The Service Director Human Resources and Business Support submitted a report on the current position with regard to sickness absence for the financial year 2016/17 and providing a comparison and summary for the whole of the financial year 2016/17 and the previous financial year 2015/16.

The report indicated the following:

·         The number of days lost per employee was 8.24 days which was an improvement on the overall days lost for 2014/15 (10.4) and 2015/16 (8.77) which, whilst still above the target of 7 days was a step in the right direction.  There was a need to improve further in order to achieve the Council’s future performance indicator target of 6 days

·         The Council’s absence rate was still above the national rate of 4.3 days (2016 data)

·         Comparative data across the Yorkshire Region for Local Authorities for 2016/17 indicated that North Yorkshire County Council had the lowest figure at 6.36 days compared to Sheffield with the highest at 12.16 days.  Rotherham’s figure was 10.97 days with Doncaster’s being 9.9 days lost.

·         An analysis of absence by type was provided with figures for each Directorate

·         Details of the way in which the Authority managed sickness absence was outlined and details of good practice where Directorates and Services were proactively addressing sickness absence was detailed.  The report also outlined areas where the Implementation of the Managing Attendance Policy required improvement

·         The Authority had introduced a number of Wellbeing Initiatives and details of these were outlined

In the ensuing discussion, the following matters were raised:

·         One of the key areas for absence was due to mental health issues including stress, anxiety and depression and the reasons for this were highlighted.  It was noted that whilst some was work related, most was in connection with life outside work which then manifested itself within the workplace – issues such as illness, bereavement, childcare and looking after elderly relatives (which was becoming an increasingly difficult area).  The Authority attempted to address issues at an early stage and health awareness sessions had been particularly successful

·         It was difficult to say why the other South Yorkshire Authorities had more staff absence than Barnsley

·         The reasons for higher sickness within one service area which had recently been incorporated within the remit of the Council was outlined.  It was noted that issues had been addressed and that absence levels within this area had reduced significantly

·         In response to specific questioning, information was provided on the way in which managers recorded sickness absence of their employees, on the robustness of the system in place and the ways in which this was tested to ensure compliance with all council procedures and policies

·         There was a discussion of employees dismissed on ill health grounds and whether or not they could access their pension.  The Service Director commented that dismissal on sickness grounds was not age related but related to the type of illness.  Within 2016/17 there had been 14 terminations due to long term sickness of which three had been able to access their pension.  This could, of course, change if at some later date the former employees’ condition worsened.

RESOLVED that the report be received and that Mrs A Brown be thanked for attending the meeting and for answering Members questions.