Agenda item

Further to Minute Nos. 18, 40 and 69, to receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development.

Further to the Board’s previous sessions relating to this particular Inquiry (Minute Nos 18, 40 and 69 refer), the Board received evidence from Andrew Mason, Chief Environmental Services Officer.  Mr Mason had joined Leeds City Council approximately 12 months ago, from Tameside Council near Manchester, and the Board requested Mr Mason to relate his experiences of the absence management system in Leeds in comparison to his previous experience of other systems.

In brief summary, the following main points were discussed:-

• Mr Mason explained that he managed a workforce which included a large element of manual works, such as refuse collectors and street cleaners.  He had been surprised at the relatively high levels of sickness absence at Leeds compared to his previous authority.  He felt that the sickness absence management system which Leeds City Council had in place was perfectly satisfactory – it was its application which might be deficient in some cases;
• The key to successfully operating the system and reducing sickness absence levels was for line managers to accept their responsibility for proactively monitoring absences for staff under their supervision, and applying the system in a fair, consistent and proactive manner;
• HR was there to support line managers in this task, e.g. occupational health referrals, but the prime responsibility rested with the line managers;
• At his instigation, all line managers had been trained or re-trained in the absence management system, and positively encouraged to assume an active role in the process, including making regular contact with the staff they supervised, including peripatetic staff and those on long-term sickness.  He would shortly be following this up with all line managers, to ascertain how it was working in reality;
• In addition to dealing with absences, management also needed to manage attendance, and to encourage an attendance culture.  There needed to be flexibility, say in terms of allowing staff to make up lost hours to account for time off for a domestic crisis, as an alternative to that member of staff simply taking a day off ‘sick’.  Shift swaps might also be a way to achieve similar results.  Staff with a good attendance record needed that to be acknowledged, even if it was just a letter from their manager.  It was helpful to try to enlist the support of the trade unions in respect of establishing an attendance culture, as often they shared managements’ concerns regarding the effects of absent workers on their colleagues’ workloads;
• Reference was made to two pilot projects under the ‘Vielife’ scheme, whereby individual staff could volunteer for an individual health and lifestyle assessment, which would produce a report tailored to their needs.  This report was private to the individual, but the overall survey results were made known to the employer, and might be used to assist the employer to devise or encourage the use of healthy living practices, such as smoking cessation classes, or to identify a need for more training e.g. manual lifting techniques;
• Reference was also made to work/life balance issues, and whether the Council could perhaps do more in this regard e.g. offering, say, three 12 hour shifts to staff, which would then enable them to engage in other activities on days off?
• The Chair thanked Andrew Mason for his candid evidence to the Board.  The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development, in consultation with the Chair, would now produce and circulate for comment a draft Final Report of the Inquiry for proposed submission and adoption at the April Board meeting.

It was commented that the draft Final Report should reflect the Board’s concern regarding the current levels of staff absences, should include reference to the costs of sickness absence at a time when the Council is facing particular budgetary pressures and should also pick up a recurring theme referred to during most of the sessions regarding the importance of line mangers in managing attendance levels.  As identified, in some areas of the Council this might require a cultural change.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That Andrew Mason be thanked for his attendance and the manner in which he has responded to Members’ queries and comments;

(b)  That the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development, in consultation with the Chair, prepare and circulate for comment a draft Final Report of the Inquiry, for submission to the April Board meeting.

(NB1 Councillor Hamilton joined the meeting at 10.13 am, during the consideration of this item.

  2  Councillor Wadsworth declared a personal interest in this item, in his capacity as a Deputy Executive Member (Environmental Services))