To provide Members of the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee with an update on current staffing statistics.

The Committee heard that the analysis of workforce data provided Members with statistics relating to the staff employed within the Council and how that compared to the Tendring District and national averages.

Members noted that, at the time of writing the Officer report (A.5), Tendring District Council had 521.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. The FTE figure equated to 790 workers in total (including casual workers and learners). That was made up of 439 full time and 351 part-time staff.

The Committee was told that the ‘Grow Our Own’ initiative, aimed at enabling staff to obtain professional qualifications in areas with recruitment challenges, remained a priority. The organisation would maintain its sponsorship programme for qualifications and would leverage apprenticeships whenever feasible. Apprenticeships, up to and including Level 7 (postgraduate level), were increasingly accessible and could be financed through the organisation’s Levy, levy sharing, or the organisation’s co-investment scheme.

The Committee was reassured that the commitment of Tendring District Council employees ‘to go the extra mile’ continued despite the challenges identified above and should be noted.

Officers informed the Committee that the Officer report indicated that the equality data had largely remained consistent with previous reports. In some areas, that was a positive, particularly regarding gender balance, the gender pay gap, and age distribution. However, it was disappointing to note that the number of employees reporting a disability or identifying as non-white British had not increased.

Members also heard that the HR team was actively encouraging staff to complete the ‘sensitive data’ section on the HR and Payroll system and would continue to support employees in feeling comfortable sharing their disability status. However, the low number of employees recorded as non-white British was believed to be influenced by other factors, including the demographic representation of the Tendring area.

Officers made Members aware that recognising those challenges, the Council acknowledged the need for proactive measures to attract non-white British candidates to Council roles. By implementing targeted recruitment strategies and fostering an inclusive work environment, the Council aimed to enhance diversity and better reflect the community it served.

At its last meeting, the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee had endorsed the adoption of the People Strategy 2024 to 2029. A key focus of the strategy was updating and promoting the Council’s Equality and Diversity Policy. As a priority, the HR team was collaborating with partner organisations to review and enhance the effectiveness of the policy, ensuring it aligned with the Council's commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Members were also made aware that to further support the Council’s Equality and Diversity Policy, the Council was introducing Inclusion and Diversity Champions. Those champions would model inclusive behaviour throughout the Council, assisting the HR team, managers, and colleagues in fostering an inclusive culture. The Inclusion and Diversity Champions planned to hold their inaugural meeting in March, and regular updates on initiatives, ideas, and progress would be provided.

Finally, while those efforts were set within the context of Local Government Reorganisation, the Authority remained committed to ensuring its staff were in the best possible position moving forward.

It was RESOLVED that the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee NOTED this report.