Item 06 - JCF Minutes
West Dunbartonshire Council · 13 August 2025
Back to Corporate Services Committee — 13 August 2025 and its agenda
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JOINT CONSULTATIVE FORUM At a Meeting of the Joint Consultative Forum held in the Council Chambers, Clydebank Town Hall, Clydebank on Tuesday, 3 June 2025 at 2.00 p.m. Present: Councillors David McBride and Martin Rooney; Claire Mackenzie (SSTA); Susan Shannon and David Smith (UNISON); and Connor Farmer (Unite). Attending: Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology; Laura Mason, Chief Education Officer; Gail Macfarlane, Chief Officer – Roads & Neighbourhood; Claire Cusick, Senior Education Officer – Services for Children and Young People; Alison McBride, Strategic People and Change Manager; Louise Hastings, People and Change Partner; Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services (Legal Officer); and Natalie Roger, Committee Officer. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Michelle McGinty and Hazel Sorrell; Michael Dolan (EIS); David Scott and Cara Stevenson (GMB), Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Alan Douglas, Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration; Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources; and Margaret-Jane Cardno, Head of Strategy and Transformation. Councillor David McBride in the Chair DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST It was noted that there were no declarations of interest in any of the items of business on the agenda. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of Meeting of the Joint Consultative Forum held on 12 September 2024, were submitted and approved as correct records subject to Claire McKenzie (SSTA) being included in the list of people who had submitted apologies for the meeting. ITEM 6
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ANNUAL EMPLOYEE WELLBEING UPDATE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – People and Technology, providing detailed analysis on Council-wide employee wellbeing and attendance for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. After discussion and having heard the People and Change Partner and the Strategic People and Change Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Forum agreed:- (1) to note the increase in Council-wide sickness absence of 1341.13 full time equivalent (FTE) days lost compared to the previous year, and that whilst this increase was concerning, it was the first year since 2021/22 that sickness absence levels had increased despite a wider trend in the UK labour market of increasing sickness absence levels; (2) to note the top 3 reasons for absence remained unchanged however the ranking of the second and third top absence reasons had changed compared to the previous year with minor illness attributed as the top reason for absence, now followed by personal stress and acute medical conditions respectively; (3) to note the proportion of absence that is considered long term had decreased and was down to approximately 66%, a decrease of 14% compared to 2023/24 which was partly linked to the increased number of dismissals due to capability arising from employees who were unable to sustain attendance at work and who, despite support, reported high levels of intermittent absences; (4) to note work-related stress sickness absence had increased by approximately 34% compared to 2022/23 and ‘in-work’ stress risk assessments; and (5) that the People and Change Team should report back with more detail and an action plan for managing absence within Community Health and Care as the numbers shown were inconsistent and higher than any other section. TRADES UNION ISSUES The Forum noted that the Trades Union had not provided, in advance of the meeting, any issues that they wished to raise. VALEDICTORY – LAURA MASON Councillor McBride, Chair, informed the Forum that this would be the last meeting of the Joint Consultative Forum that Laura Mason, Chief Education Officer, would attend as she would soon be retiring from Council service. On behalf of the Forum, Councillor McBride thanked Ms Mason for her dedication and lasting impact on education and wished her the very best in retirement.
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The meeting closed at 2.40 p.m.
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