East Devon District Council's Personnel Committee met on 10 September 2025 and approved a new Out of Hours Policy, and discussed the Annual Health and Safety Report, Annual People Data Report, the April-July People Data Report, and the People Strategy. The committee also received an update on the impact of local government reorganisation on staff.

Public Statements

The committee heard statements from Mr P Quantrill and Ms T Sanders, read on their behalf, regarding the council's investments in Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds¹ and calling for divestment from companies complicit in supporting the Israeli government. Councillor Eileen Wragg, Vice Chair - Planning Committee and Member Champion Equality, Inclusion & Diversity, responded that Devon County Council takes ethical concerns seriously, and Councillor Eleanor Rylance, Chair of the Council, advised that concerns should be raised directly with the Devon Pension Fund.

Out of Hours Policy

The committee approved a new Out of Hours Policy to ensure a consistent corporate approach to standby and call-out arrangements and associated pay. The policy applies to employees on Grades 1-7, with those in Grade 8 and above not eligible for payment but still subject to the policy's other requirements. The policy sets a daily standby rate of £34.71, increasing in line with the National Joint Council (NJC) pay award, and outlines call-out rates based on the employee's hourly rate, with time and a half paid on weekdays and Saturdays, and double time on Sundays and bank holidays. The policy also states that claims for standby and call out payments which are older than 2 months may be declined.

The committee delegated authority to the Director of Governance and Portfolio Holder for Council and Corporate Co-ordination to agree any minor changes to the policy, following final comments from Unison.

Annual Health and Safety Report 2024/25 and Corporate Safety Workplan 2025/26

The committee noted the Annual Health and Safety Report 2024/25 and Corporate Safety Workplan 2025/26, which covered accidents and incidents, training, workplace inspections and audits, tests and drills, policies, and the work programme for the coming year.

Discussion included:

• The committee welcomed the recording of near-miss events.
• Data was currently difficult to break down into specific trends, but replacement of recording software would help.
• The culture of reporting was changing following promotion of the reporting mechanisms.
• Advice was offered to councillors on a regular basis for their role, even though they are not regarded as employees.
• Tribute was given to officers dealing with difficult roles and the increase in verbal abuse from the public.
• Assessments were made of the council offices, and refined following review such as the recent evacuation practice of a full Council meeting.
• Councillors were encouraged to report any near-miss, accident or incident.
• The office temperature met with the statutory requirement, however personal comfort levels vary.

People Data: Annual Report 2024/25

The committee noted the Annual People Data Report 2024/25, which set out statistics of the workforce for the 2024/25 period. Headline findings included:

• Headcount: 557 staff, slightly below budgeted 565.4 FTE.
• Pay: Most staff are in Grade 4 (£35–41k). Average pay £33,151, slightly below the national council average of £34k.
• Directorates: Place is now the largest (44.34%) following service restructuring.
• Salary Costs: Increased by 10.56% this year.
• Market Supplements: Increased from 11 to 21, mainly to address Housing Surveyor shortages.
• Travel Costs: Down for the 4th year (↓8.16%).
• Recruitment Costs: Increased to £2,232 per head due to executive recruitment.
• Vacancy Rate: 6.82%, better than the 12% benchmark.
• Turnover: Combined turnover was 13.08%, up from 11.25%, but still below the Local Government Association (LGA) benchmark of 13.5%. Voluntary turnover was 10.93%.
• Learning & Development: 508 attendees, up from 483, with positive feedback. Apprenticeships increased 90.9% since 2022/23.
• Average Days Lost: 10.24 per FTE, slightly up from 10.05. Stress, anxiety & fatigue accounted for 27.9% of cases.
• Workforce Profile: Average age 49. Ethnic minority staff 3.24%, staff with disability 5.94%, 52.6% female / 47.4% male.

Discussion by the committee included:

• Clarification was sought on the number of posts not included in the report, due to being funded from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).
• Salary overall cost had increased due to promotion and recruitment of an Assistant Director, not due to headcount.
• The committee were reminded of the work undertaken to help manage staff absence, including the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Grow Our Own work included links with Devon County Council, in relation to those with care experience.
• Higher vacancies were seen in the Streetscene service, and workforce planning was taking place to help address the needs of the service.
• Impact of absence of staff on remaining team members was discussed and acknowledged.

The Chair congratulated Gemma Roberts on her recent promotion to the role of Assistant Director for People and Performance.

People Data: April - July 2025 quarterly report

The committee noted the April - July 2025 quarterly People Data report. Headcount had stabilised but dipped slightly from late 2024. Vacancy recording changes explained a sharp increase in reported vacancies, following alignment between HR and Finance records. Agency use had risen slightly due to seasonal demands. Absence rates were climbing, driven by stress-related factors which had become the leading cause of long-term absence.

Discussion by the committee included:

• Benchmarking was done with a diverse range of organisations, but the most comparable data was with other local authorities.
• In respect of marketing supplements, careful management of impact and an annual review is made when those are withdrawn.
• Streetscene have a seasonal demand for agency workers.

People Strategy

The committee noted the People Strategy for 2025 to 2028, which sets out the ambitions that surrounded the One Team East Devon ethos:

• Connect: Connecting to the One Team East Devon through shared values and behaviours; total reward package; recognition; and fostering a diverse and inclusive environment.
• Grow: Development of Focusing on Great Managers programme; Grow Our Own initiative; review current We Grow offer.
• Thrive: Focus on Change and Resilience; developing a continuous feedback cycle; safe and supported team; Happy, Healthy, Here initiatives.

The refreshed Behavioural Principles and new Management Commitments were also set out. The Strategy is planned to be launched in October.

Comments from the committee included:

• The cost of developing the strategy was part of the HR budget in terms of staff time, not an additional cost to the authority.
• The strategy was a key refresh to help get the best from employees.
• A suggestion to include simplicity and accuracy in all communications; and to include accountability.

Local Government Reorganisation and impact on staff

The committee noted an update on the current timeline for devolution, with new arrangements set to go live on 1 April 2028. Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2026 (TUPE) would protect existing staff, automatically transferring employment to the new employer whilst maintaining the existing terms and conditions of employment. Pension rights were protected under separate legislative provisions. Support is available to staff via the Council's Happy, Healthy, Here scheme, and the pending People Strategy.