We’re struggling to recruit staff, says leader of council
DERBYSHIRE Dales District Council is facing “serious rectruitment issues”, says its newly reappointed leader Garry Purdy, who has urged fellow members to think carefully before piling pressure on staff through emailed questions.
The authority currently has no audit team, after several attempts to find new staff, Councillor Purdy said during the leader’s announcements at the council’s annual meeting on Thursday, and similar struggles are being encountered when trying to appoint new accountancy staff.
He cited the cost of living and the attraction of higher pay being offered for similar roles in the public sector among the reasons staff numbers had been dwindling.
Big projects in the pipeline, such as Ashbourne’s levelling-up fund bid and other schemes across the district, were piling even more work on officers, said Councillor Purdy, as he continued to spell out his stark message.
He said: “Members, please let me make it clear to you; the chief executive, Councillor Hobson and myself are really concerned for officer capacity.
“More so now than we were previously due to the number of staff that have left, and this difficulty in recruiting.
“We have to look after our current staff and make them feel wanted and valued.
“So members, please give more thought and consideration as to how you’d like to be treated if you were under the kosh with the pressures of work.
“Think twice before you press the send button to ask a number of questions.”
Councillor Purdy added that the council’s chief executive Paul Wilson, who could not attend the meeting in person, was planning to bring the topic to the council as an agenda item for discussion in July.