Number of staff ................... 244
Male/female ratio ........... 39/61
Average age ............................... 44
Staff turnover ......................... 15%
Earning £35,000+ .............. 14%
www.chiltern.gov.uk

Practices Managers at Chiltern District Council in Buckinghamshire publicise and praise staff success, often on the intranet and in the council’s magazine. Prizes such as hampers are used to acknowledge support for initiatives such as increasing walking and other travel schemes that are environmentally-friendly.

Developing effective teams is part of the council’s approach to management development. Managers attend courses and the council has run in-house whole-team workshops. It has also sent cross-service teams to take part in both regional and national strategic challenges, where staff take on senior management roles in a business game environment.

The council is involved in community projects including environmental clean-ups, heritage events, volunteer-led youth clubs and libraries.

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• Best Councils 2008 table

BACKGROUND

• Best council rules

• Special award winners

Chiltern Council also offers noncourse development, including secondments, coaching and mentoring, inter-authority team challenges and project work.

It equips managers with the skills that they need, including formal qualifications up to MBA level, project management qualifications and management development training on subjects such as change-management

and dealing with conflict. It also coaches and mentors newly appointed managers in the “people” aspects, as well as the operational aspects, of their new roles.

Health promotion initiatives provided include smoking cessation drop-in clinics, get-walking and cycle-to-work schemes, personal safety and health and safety courses.

Pay and benefits Flexible working options available include job sharing, home working, reduced hours, flexi-time and annualised hours.

Health benefits include health screening, private health insurance for senior staff and a free counselling service. Other benefits include subsi-dised sports facilities and free life assurance. All staff are eligible for an annual bonus under the performance-related pay scheme. A wellness programme is also provided.

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