Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director Human Resources

Purpose of report

To provide the Personnel Committee with an update on Cherwell District Council’s workforce including measuring staff well-being and to highlight the actions officers are taking to address any issues.

Recommendations

The Personnel Committee resolves to:

1.1     Review and note the workforce data for quarter 4 of 2024/25 provided in appendix one, devised to provide insight that will enable officers of CDC to address challenges and efficiencies in the workforce more efficiently.

Resolved      

(1)   That the workforce profile statistics for quarter 4 of 2024/25 (financial year dates) be noted.

The Assistant Director Human Resources submitted a report to update the Committee on Cherwell District Council’s (CDC) workforce as at the end of quarter 4 of 2024/25, including measuring staff well-being and highlighting the actions officers were taking to address any issues.

In introducing the report, the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services, Councillor Brant advised that there were no issues, risks or concerns to highlight.

In response to a question regarding the use of agency staff and whether solutions to recruit and maintain staff to mitigate this were being looked at, the Assistant Director Human Resources explained that the use of agency staff varied by department, and the purpose of using agency staff was to ensure services were maintained. The shortages impacting some departments, including planning, were a national issue, CDC was mitigating by targeted recruitment as well as graduate schemes.

In response to a question regarding information on how many applicants per ethnic group went on to successfully secure a position at the Council, the Assistant Director Human Resources advised that in its current format this was not captured in the report, but she would seek to include in future reports.

Resolved      

(1)   That the workforce profile statistics for quarter 4 of 2024/25 (financial year dates) be noted.