Leader's blog - 11 November 2024

"It was a real pleasure to attend an awards ceremony with Council staff last week, after Stroud District Council was shortlisted as "Best Place to Work" in local government. This is something staff were very keen to celebrate, and they gave a fantastic presentation to the panel of judges. 

As elected councillors, although we work closely with council officers, we don't usually get involved in the operational issues of staffing and workforce. This was a great opportunity to hear directly from staff about how they are turning the Council's values and strategies into practical improvements - both for employees and for the communities we all serve.

Although Stroud District Council didn't win, it was a huge achievement for a small district council to be rated so highly. The Council's staff are our biggest resource - we would be nowhere without them - and I think it's incredibly important that staff feel so positive about working here. 

Lots of work has been done to make sure the Council has an inclusive and supportive environment that supports staff health and wellbeing. This includes training, mentoring, peer support, and setting up specific groups providing safe spaces to meet and discuss health and wellbeing challenges in a way that works for all. 

The results speak for themselves. 99.5% of SDC staff reported being committed to helping the council meet its goals. Almost 90% of staff would recommend others to work at the Council, and plan to still be working for the Council in a year's time. Similarly high rates of people felt the Council cares about their wellbeing, provides an effective work-life balance, and has supportive management.  Staff absences related to mental health have fallen significantly, which proves that these efforts are bringing real, tangible results. 

So please join me in celebrating our Council staff who do so much behind the scenes to make our area such a great place to live. And if you're interested in joining one of the best places to work, while making a positive difference to your local area, then there are always jobs and opportunities advertised on the Council website: www.stroud.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/ "

This week's blog was written by Cllr Pete Kennedy, Deputy Leader of Stroud District Council