The Staffing Policy Committee of Wiltshire Council was scheduled to meet on 26 June 2025 to discuss workforce data, policy updates, and staff benefits. The committee was expected to review a bi-annual workforce report, consider a new recruitment and retention incentive payments policy, and discuss updates to the annual leave and bank holiday entitlement policy. Additionally, the committee was scheduled to receive a report detailing statutory and minor policy changes.

Biannual Workforce Report

The committee was scheduled to receive a report detailing workforce analytics for the period up to and including March 2025. The report included data and metrics about the council's workforce in several areas. According to the report, workforce data reporting is important for:

1. Informed decision making: It provides the council with valuable insights into workforce trends, in order to make data-driven decisions about recruitment, retention, and development strategies.
2. Compliance and risk management: Workforce reporting helps ensure compliance with legislation and regulations, reducing the risk of legal issues.
3. Strategic planning: It supports long-term planning by highlighting workforce strengths and weaknesses, aiding succession planning and talent management.
4. Transparency: Workforce reporting builds trust by demonstrating the council's commitment to its workforce and highlighting the impact of HR&OD initiatives.

The report noted that Wiltshire Council has a predominantly female workforce, with females accounting for 73.8% of the total workforce and males 26.2% as of the end of March 2025.

The report also included data on agency costs, vacancies, recruitment, apprenticeships, sickness absence, and turnover.

Recruitment and Retention Incentive Payments Policy

The Staffing Policy Committee was scheduled to consider a new Recruitment and Retention Incentive Payments Policy where payments are linked to external funding. According to the report, a recruitment and retention incentive payment would only apply where external funding criteria stipulates that it may be used to support the recruitment and retention of staff in hard to fill and retain roles.

The report stated that the Director of HR & OD, Tamsin Kielb, in conjunction with the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) would approve a recruitment and retention incentive payment. A business case would be required which sets out the criteria for the funding, evidence of recruitment/retention issues and the impact of a payment on service delivery and the amounts and timeframes for the payment for approval. A new business case would be required for each new funding stream and/or year to ensure that payments do not become custom and practice and stand up to challenge.

The report also noted that external legal advice was sought regarding the use of external funding for recruitment and retention incentive payments. It was stated that market forces can be used as a material factor defence to justify payments, and that these payments must be time limited and monitored/reviewed regularly to ensure that they remain justified.

Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Entitlement Policy Updates

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on amendments to the Annual Leave and Entitlement Policy specifically relating to banked leave. The amendments increase the banked leave offering within the policy, with clear parameters relating to maximum amounts of leave that can be banked and timescales within which this can be taken, with the aim of supporting improved management and oversight.

The report noted that the annual leave and bank holiday entitlement policy currently includes an option for employees to 'bank' up to 5 days' annual leave each year from their existing leave entitlement, to save for a particular special purpose. Banked leave is separate to the carryover provisions also contained within the annual leave policy, which allows employees to carry forward up to 5 working days into the new leave year, subject to manager approval.

The policy has been amended to increase the amount of leave that can be banked from 5 to 10 days, but to cap the total amount of banked leave that can be held by an employee at any one time at 10 days. A time limit of three years has also been introduced within which the banked leave must be used. The policy has also been amended to clarify that the maximum amount of leave that can be taken at any one time is 60 days, increasing from the current 40 days, to support flexibility and aid recruitment and retention.

Statutory and Minor Policy Changes Update

The committee was scheduled to receive a report detailing the new policies or changes to policies that have been made as a result of required statutory legislation or minor changes to current procedure and process. The policies to be implemented or updated include:

• Neonatal Care Leave and Pay: The policy outlines the arrangements and entitlements following the introduction of the new statutory right for parents of children receiving neonatal care to take time off and receive statutory neonatal care pay for up to 12 weeks.
• Ill Health Retirement (IHR): The council has a well-established IHR policy, however this has been updated to strengthen existing arrangements for the recording of the decision-making process and rationale for an IHR outcome. Key changes include the formal integration of the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDRP), requiring the council to inform employees of their right to appeal IHR decisions and to establish a clear internal process for managing such appeals. The Head of Strategic HR or their deputy will oversee Stage 1 IDRP appeals.