Freeze on council recruitment

Rochdale Council has put a freeze on recruitment unless the job is “essential to service delivery and supports the achievement of savings required by the Efficiency Programme”.

Workforce comments regarding the recent pay and grading exercise are still being evaluated and the portfolio holder for Townships and Corporate management, Councillor Liz Thirsk, says arrangements for final decision making will take place during “late August/early September”.

Appeals following the pay and grading review are still ongoing and Councillor Thirsk says: “Appeals are progressing in accordance with the joint procedure agreed with unions and it is anticipated that these will be concluded in October 2009.

Sickness absence continues to run at almost twice the rate of the private sector at 10 days absence per full time employee, 0.5 days over the council’s own target. In her report to the council, new portfolio holder Councillor Liz Thirsk uses a familiar ruse to try and deflect attention from the poor progress in reducing sickness absence to comparable levels to the private sector by making comparisons with neighbouring authorities.