The Staffing Policy Committee of Wiltshire Council was scheduled to discuss several key human resources and organisational development priorities for 2026. These included updates on sickness absence, the council's pay policy, and new policies on hybrid working, kinship leave, and bereavement leave.

HR & OD Strategic Priorities 2026

The committee was scheduled to receive a report outlining the strategic priorities for the Human Resources & Organisational Development (HR&OD) service for 2026. This report was expected to detail the service's vision, structure, and key functions, alongside priority areas of focus for the coming year. The report highlighted three main strategic pillars: Wellbeing and Inclusion, Management and Leadership, and Employee Experience. Specific areas of focus included the role of staff networks, the wellbeing and attendance policy, and the return-to-work process. For Management and Leadership, the report detailed plans for the LEAD manager training initiative, a new manager induction programme, and the development of self-service tools. The Employee Experience section was set to cover the exit interview process, with a focus on improving data capture and analysis. The report also touched upon horizon scanning for emerging legislative changes, such as the Employment Rights Bill, and identified risks including recruitment and retention challenges, sickness absence rates, and the increasing complexity of employee relations.

Sickness Absence Review Update

An update was scheduled regarding the Reduction of Sickness Absence Working Group. The report provided context on the council's current sickness absence policy, which is based on Local Government Green Book terms and conditions. It detailed available interventions to support employees and managers, including referrals to Occupational Health, counselling, and mental health advocates. The report also presented national and regional data on sickness absence, highlighting a rise in long-term sickness nationally. The working group's priority actions were to include piloting targeted interventions, a council-wide approach to long-term sickness cases, policy review, and improvements to the Oracle system for better monitoring. Specific interventions in the HR&OD service and Adult Social Care were detailed, along with plans for a revised return-to-work form and manager training.

Pay Policy Statement 2026

The committee was due to review an updated Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2026/27. This statement, required under the Localism Act 2011, outlines the council's approach to pay and reward for senior managers and the lowest-paid employees. The report indicated minimal changes from the previous year, with updates primarily concerning employee numbers, pay rates, and pay ratios. The ratio of the highest to lowest paid employee was noted to have slightly increased to 8.2:1. Revisions to the remuneration of the Coroner were also to be discussed, reflecting a decision by the Coroners' side to leave the JNC pay negotiation committee.

Hybrid Working Policy

A report presenting the new Hybrid Working policy was scheduled for discussion. The policy aims to provide a clear framework for hybrid working, addressing feedback regarding the expectations for in-person attendance and the previously stated 50% hub-based working requirement. Key points of the new policy include the expectation for all office-based staff to work from a council hub for a minimum of 50% of their contracted hours, with community-based staff required to spend at least 50% of their administration time in a council workplace. Exceptions to this policy were to be outlined, along with guidance on risk assessments, workstation setup, and data security for home working.

Kinship Leave

The committee was set to consider updates to the Adoption Policy to include leave and pay arrangements for kinship carers. The report explained that kinship carers are individuals who have taken on permanent care for a child under 18, often due to parental breakdown. Currently, there is no statutory entitlement to kinship care leave in the UK. The proposed update would align kinship carer leave and pay provisions with those for adoption leave, offering up to 26 weeks of ordinary and additional kinship leave with pay. This would include maintaining contractual benefits, the right to return to the original job, redundancy protection, and annual leave accrual during leave. The policy would apply to kinship carers who have obtained a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) or Child Arrangements Order (CAO).

Bereavement Leave

A report was scheduled to present proposed policy updates to the Family Emergencies and Compassionate Leave Policy, specifically concerning bereavement leave. The aim is to broaden the scope of paid bereavement leave entitlement, with the duration of leave to be granted based on the nature of the personal relationship, rather than solely on the definition of a dependant. The current policy provides up to three days of paid leave for the death of a dependant. The proposed changes include granting up to five days of paid bereavement leave for the death of a spouse/partner, parent, sibling, or an individual for whom the employee had direct caring responsibility. Up to three days of paid leave would be granted for other close relatives or individuals with whom the employee had a significant personal relationship. Directors and Heads of Service would retain discretion to approve additional paid or unpaid leave.