Item 17 - Bi-annual Workforce Monitoring Report

West Dunbartonshire Council · 2 November 2022
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL
Report by Chief Officer – People and Technology
Corporate Services Committee: 2 November 2022
___________________________________________________________________
Subject: Bi-annual Workforce Monitoring Report 
1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide workforce monitoring information
relating to the period 1st April 2022 to 30th September 2022.
2. Recommendations
2.1 The Committee is asked to note the content of the report.
3. Background
3.1 This report provides information on the workforce demographic, allowing for
monitoring of trends and consideration of workforce impacts.  Additionally, the
report includes analysis of employees released through early retirement and
voluntary severance, and the associated costs.  This forms part of the
ongoing monitoring process derived from the Audit Scotland Report “Bye now,
pay later?” and follow up reports.
4. Main Issues
4.1 Table 1 provides headcount data for the Council per Chief Officer Area and
includes apprentices, fixed term and permanent employees. When compared
with the previous reporting period (1st October 2021 – 30th April 2022), the
total headcount for the Council has decreased by 81.  This is accounted for by
decreases of 30 fixed term contracts and 60 permanent contracts.
Apprenticeship contracts increased by 9 over the monitoring period.
4.2 When compared to the same period last year the headcount has decreased
by 94 overall. This is due to reductions of 4 apprenticeships, 56 fixed term
contracts and 34 permanent contracts. The casual headcount has decreased
by 9.
4.3 Different to previous periods, these figures reflect a shifting picture as the
organisation adjusts its’ workforce in response to significantly reduced levels
of funding.
ITEM 17

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Table 1 – Headcount Data (as at 30th September 2022)
4.4 Monitoring the number of casual workers (including supply) is undertaken on a
bi-annual basis and reported to the Performance and Monitoring Review
Group.  This ensures that the use of casual workers is in line with good
practice while continuing to support the needs of organisational delivery. We
also refresh the list on an annual basis removing those not used and/or no
longer wish to provide casual work.
Early Retirements and Voluntary Severance
4.5 During the last 6 months, no one was released through Early Retirement /
Voluntary Severance.  
4.6 The number of employees being released through voluntary early
retirement/severance has continued to reduce in recent years with none being
released during the current period. 
Table 2– ER/VS (Comparison to Previous periods)
Council Wide 1 October 2020
– 31 March
2021
1 April – 30
September
2021
1 October
2021 – 31
March 2022
1 April – 30
September
2022
TOTALS 1 0  0 0
Retirement from age 55
4.7 The Local Government Pension Scheme allows scheme members to retire
from age 55 without employer consent. The terms of this provision allow
Headcount as at 30/09/2022 Status
Department Service Apprentice Fixed-Term Permanent Grand Total Casual
Chief Exec Office CitizenCultureFacilities 2 28 634 664 10
Educ Learning & Attain 8 84 951 1043 66
Housing & Employability 3 63 280 346 3
People & Technology 1 4 93 98 0
Regulatory&Regeneration 0 11 106 117 4
Resources 0 20 224 244 0
Roads & Neighbourhood 12 67 337 416 9
Supply,Distribu&Property 37 10 391 438 0
Chief Exec Office Total 63 287 3016 3366 92
HSCP Child Health Care & C J 0 23 242 265 17
Community Health & Care 0 26 917 943 53
Finance & Resources 0 1 5 6 0
Mental Health Addic & LD 0 14 139 153 1
Strategy, Planning & HI 0 1 26 27 0
HSCP Total 0 65 1329 1394 71
Strategic Management Strategic Management 0 0 12 12 0
Strategic Management Total 0 0 12 12 0
Teachers Educ Learning & Attain 0 145 918 1063 323
Teachers Total 0 145 918 1063 323
Grand Total 63 497 5275 5835 486
Headcount for Comparison Purposes
Sep-22 63 497 5275 5835 486
Mar-22 54 527 5335 5916 399
Sep-21 67 553 5309 5929 495
Mar-21 73 552 5318 5943 519

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members to access their pension benefits with an actuarial reduction applied
(to compensate the fund for the member taking their benefits early). There are
no consequential costs for the council.
4.8 Within this reporting period (1st April – 30th September 2022), 6 employees
retired under this provision. 1 application was received during the period and
is currently being progressed. This will be reported in the next monitoring
period.
Table 3 – Retirement from age 55+ (Comparison to Previous Periods)
Council Wide 1 September
2020 – 31
March 2021
1 April – 30
September
2021
1 October
2021 – 31
March 2022
1 April – 30
September
2022
TOTALS 4 0 5 6
Early Retirements - Ill-health
4.9 In cases of early retirement on the grounds of ill-health, there are no direct
capitalisation costs to the Council as this cost is borne by the pension fund.
4.10 The Local Government Pension Scheme and Scottish Teachers Pension
Scheme regulations allow for 2 tiers of ill-health retirement in situations where
the member’s ill-health or infirmity of mind or body renders them permanently
incapable of discharging efficiently the duties of their current employment. 
Under Local Government Pension Regulations Tier 1 relates to members with
no reasonable prospect of obtaining gainful employment before the age of 65.
4.11 Tier 2 relates to members with a reasonable prospect of obtaining gainful
employment before the age of 65.  Under Scottish Teachers Pension Scheme
Regulations the two tiers are Total Incapacity Benefits which relates to
members who are unable to teach and whose ability to carry out any work is
impaired by more than 90% and is likely permanently to be so. Partial
Incapacity Benefits relates to members who are permanently unable to teach
but be capable of undertaking other types of employment.
4.12 Table 4 below shows the number of employees who retired early on ill health
grounds.  In the period 1st April – 30th September 2022 there were 15 ill health
retirements; 12 were approved at Tier 1 (Total Incapacity Benefits) and 3 at
Tier 2 (Partial Incapacity Benefits). The total number of ill health retirements
for the previous three reporting periods is also included for comparison
purposes. 
Table 4 – Ill Health Retirements (Comparison to previous periods)
Directorate Total 1 October
2020 – 31
March 2021
Total 1 April
2021 – 30
September
2021
Total 1 October
2021 – 31
March 2022
Total 1 April –
30 September
2022
HSCP 5 9 *7
8
Remainder of
Council 0 4 7
TOTAL 5 13 17 15

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*In accordance with data protection regulations directorates with 2 or fewer employees will
be merged.
4.13 The female / male split of employees awarded Ill Health Retirement is 53%
female and 47% male. This is higher for male employees but lower for female
employees than the overall Council demographic split of 72.76% female and
27.24% male.
4.14 The demographic trend indicates the age range of employees awarded Ill
health Retirement during this period between 60-65 years is at 47% a slight
increase from last period. Compared to last period the age range of 50-54
years has risen from 14% in March 2022 to 33% in this reporting period. The
age range 55-59 has decreased from 43% in March 2022 to 20% in this
reporting period.
Table 5 – Ill Health Retirements Age Range (Comparison to previous periods)
Period Age
Range
50-54
(No.)
Age
Range
50-54
(%)
Age
Range 55-
59 (No.)
Age
Range
55-59
(%)
Age
Range
60-65
(No.)
Age
Range
60-65
(%)
Total
Sept
2022
5 33% 3 20% 7 47% 15
March
2022
1 14% 3 43% 3 43% 7
Sept
2021
0 0 4 30% 9 70% 13
March
2021
2 28.5% 2 28.5% 3 43% 7
4.15 Employees have the right to appeal consideration for ill-health retirement if
they are not satisfied with the decision through the Internal Disputes
Resolution Process.
4.16 There were three appeals lodged at Stage 1 during the reporting period. One
was referred back to Occupational Health for another opinion and the appeal
was subsequently rejected. The second appeal was upheld and an award
made in relation to flexible retirement. The third has been referred to
colleagues in Scottish Pension Fund Office for their consideration and
feedback is awaited.
4.17 There was one appeal being considered at Stage 2 by the Scottish Ministers
from the previous period but the outcome remains outstanding.
Flexible Retirement
4.18 Flexible retirement is available to members of the Local Government Pension
Scheme, excluding teachers. The approval of those employees granted
flexible retirement is monitored by the Chief Officer - People and Technology
and the Chief Officer - Resources.

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4.19 A total of 25 new requests were received between 1st April – 30th September
2022. Of the planned retirement dates 3 fall within the current period and 22
fall within the next reporting period.
4.20 Of the planned retirement dates that fell within the current period 19 offers
were issued and all were accepted. There is currently 1 Flexible Retirement in
progress that will require a change of date meaning it will now fall into the next
reporting period. One employee withdrew their request.
4.21 Every effort is being made to support flexible retirement requests where
possible and services regularly revisit applications with a view to release.
4.22 The table below shows the number of flexible retirements released in the
period, split by Chief Officer area for this year and previous three reporting
periods for comparison purposes.
4.23 There has been a continued uptake for flexible retirement this period and for
the year overall. It is anticipated that Flexible Retirement will continue to be a
popular option for employees who wish to work in a reduced capacity and
access their pension whilst enabling the Council to retain their skills and
experience.
Table 6 – Flexible Retirements (Comparison to previous period. Please note the change to
reflect the new Chief Officer Areas)
Chief Officer Area
1 October 2020 – 31
March 2021 Chief Officer Area
1 April 2021 – 30
September 2021
HSCP 9 HSCP
*10
Remainder of
Council
*7
Remainder of
Council
TOTALS 15 TOTALS 10
Chief Officer Area
1 October 2021 – 31
March 2022 Chief Officer Area
1 April – 30
September 2022
HSCP 13 HSCP *5
Remainder of
Council
*15 Remainder of
Council *14
TOTALS 28 TOTALS 19
* In accordance with data protection regulations directorates with 2 or fewer employees will
be merged.
Redeployment
4.24 Redeployment is monitored and delivered centrally by Strategic HR.
Employees are added to the SWITCH register for a number of different
reasons:-

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• Through organisational change employees may be displaced or placed
in lower graded posts;
• Due to ill-health they may become unable to continue in their
substantive post;
• Through Job Evaluation where a post is evaluated lower than the
current grade;
• Or where an employee is coming to the end of a fixed term contract
and has more than 2 years’ service.
4.25 To support employees to return to their previous rate of pay all employees
who have been matched but remain on pay protection are also retained on
the register.
4.26 The table below details the number of employees who were on the
redeployment register at the start of the reporting period (01/10/2021), the
number who joined the register during the reporting period and the number
who remain on the register at the end of the reporting period (31/03/2022). 
Table 7 Redeployment (Comparisons to previous periods)
Reason Number of
employees on
the register at
the start of the
period
(1/04/2022)
Number of
employees
added during
the period 
Number of
Employees
removed
during the
period
Number of
employees on
the register at
end of the period
(30/09/2022)
Ill Health
(Capability)
0 0 0 0
Ill Health
(Disability)
1 0 1 0
Organisational
change
9 1 4 6
Incapability
another
process
1 0 0 1
TOTALS 11 1 5 7
Pay protection *9 3 1 11
*pay protection is shown separately as this may be related to job evaluation or organisational
change
4.27 As detailed in Table 6, there were 11 employees on the redeployment register
at the beginning of the reporting period. One employee joined during the
period and 5 employees were removed from the register. One left the Council
for other employment and four were placed in to roles on their substantive
grades. 4 employees are currently on Long Term Sick Leave.
4.28 11 employees currently remain pay protected and on the SWITCH Register
until they secure a post either on what was their substantive grade or the
protection period ends, whichever is earlier. Support to obtain a post on their
original grades continues to be provided across the Strategic Human
Resources Team. 
4.29 One employee in receipt of pay protection has been removed from the
register completely due to securing a permanent position on their substantive
grade; 3 of the 5 employees who were in promoted posts on a temporary

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basis have returned to their positions on reduced grades and pay protection
has been re-started until the end of the pay protection period, 7th February
2023. 
5. People Implications
5.1 There are no direct people implications for employees arising from the
information presented in this report. However, it is important that the matters
covered in this report are effectively monitored in line with employment
legislation, the discretions policy and best practice.
6. Financial and Procurement Implications
6.1 There are no procurement implications with this report.  All costs associated
with early retirement or voluntary severance will be met from existing
resources.  Those released are done so on the basis of robust cost benefit
analysis.
7. Risk Analysis
7.1 The early release of employees across the Council requires to be properly
managed to minimise the risk of adversely impacting service levels through
the loss of vital skills and experience.  In line with Council commitment,
redeployment of employees continues to be considered as a priority.
8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)
8.1 This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or
recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore
no equalities impact assessment is required.
9. Consultation
9.1 Consultation has taken place in line with agreed policies and procedures
10. Strategic Assessment
10.1 Undertaking workforce monitoring will support the Council’s aim to make the
best use of both financial and human resources resulting in a positive impact
upon service provision. 
Victoria Rogers
Chief Officer – People and Technology
Date: 
Person to Contact: Louise Hastings, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton
Tel:  07792321839
Email: Louise.Hastings@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Appendices: None

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Background Papers: None
Wards Affected: N/A