Issue - meetings

Report of the 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:

1.1       To review and note the workforce data for quarter 2 of 2025/26 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 2 of 2025/26 (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 2 of 2025/26, 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, advised that there were no issues, risks or concerns to highlight.

In response to a question regarding the upward trend of staff sickness within quarter 2 and whether measures were in place to address this increase, the Assistant Director Human Resources explained that a similar trend was reflected within the same quarter of the previous year. Measures were in place to assess members of staff that may need ongoing support to ensure that they were able to return to work as soon as practicable.

In response to a question regarding Covid-19 related staff sickness and whether staff were still reporting that as a reason for absence, the Assistant Director Human Resources explained that as testing for Covid-19 was no longer mandatory, it was hard to pinpoint individual cases, and that due to similar symptoms instances may be reported as cold and flu.

In response to a question regarding changes to Government Levy funding for apprenticeships and the impact on apprenticeship opportunities for staff, the Assistant Director Human Resources explained that officers had been aware of the proposed changes to apprenticeship funding and had been monitoring the budgets to ensure that sufficient funding was available.

Resolved        

(1)  That the workforce profile statistics for quarter 2 of 2025/26 (financial year dates) be noted.