Number of staff ... 379
Male/female ratio ... 38/62
Average age ... 44
Staff turnover ... 14%
Earning £35,000+ ... 12%
www.stratford.gov.uk

Practices The Warwickshire council has just given out the third annual chairman’s awards. Nominations are made by staff, for staff. This year a team award was added and the pile of nominations was so large that several special commendations were made for service teamwork and corporate teamwork during the July 2007 floods.

Where staff have taken on additional duties to cover for colleagues, or they undertake specific projects, one-off bonuses may be granted by heads of services.

Frontline and support services and professional officers are encouraged to have discussions to ensure that the council is providing the best possible service to customers.

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BACKGROUND

• Best council rules

• Special award winners

Related Internet Links

• Best Councils 2008 table

The council has just approved a volunteering scheme that will enable staff to do up to 15 hours’ voluntary work a year. It also supports Ramp, a staff volunteering programme to mentor people with learning, physical and mental disabilities and to help them to return to the workplace. Employees also participate in a monthly dress-down day, with contributions going towards a nominated charity.

The chief executive, Paul Lankester, walks round the service areas every day and chats to staff about their work. He has an open-door policy and encourages staff to raise issues of concern directly with him, as well as with their line managers. He also updates all employees via e-mail on the key issues of the week and, most weeks, mentions specific staff by name for their good work.

Some of the most successful development has been through cross-sector work shadowing. The housing team and the Citizens Advice Bureau and the reception and planning staff shadowed each other. They found that the experience strengthened working relationships.

Employees have a range of development options, from workshops to secondments. Staff are also encouraged to have their skills acknowledged formally through courses such as the European Computer Driving Licence.

Managers can network with their counterparts from other councils through cross-council manager forums. In the past year these have taken place on subjects such as political awareness, project management and networking skills.

In January 2008 the council launched an Everyone Active campaign at local leisure centres, with free health checks and personal trainers on site offering advice on healthy lifestyles, diet and keeping fit.

Pay and benefits Working options include job sharing, reduced hours and flexitime. Sabbaticals and career breaks are available for employees with at least a year’s service – up to five weeks’ paid leave as well as 48 weeks’ unpaid. Benefits include performance-related pay, subsidised sports facilities, discounted services, give-as-you-earn and car allowances.

Return to The Best Councils to Work For table

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