HR
Taking the PPMA from strength to strength
New president Pam Parkes shares her vision for the PPMA, and sets out the seven areas she will focus on.
10,000 council staff on long-term sick leave
Nearly 10,000 staff members working in councils across England are currently on long-term sick leave, freedom of information requests have revealed.
The key to a sustainable workforce
At a time when candidates are in high demand and often can call the shots, a well-defined employer value proposition that contains a robust learning and development programme is the key to boosting retention – as Mark Bearn explains.
Unison warns of looming strike as it awaits pay offer
Scotland’s largest local government union has warned strike preparations could begin next week amid growing tensions over pay.
Scots government 'unlikely' to create equal pay body
Scottish Government ministers are unlikely to establish a national equal pay unit, despite calls from the trade union that led to strikes over the snowballing issue.
The war for leadership talent
Are we winning the war or losing the battle? Toni Hall and Julie Towers share their experience as the pattern of leadership recruitment within the sector ebbs and flows
The value of managing workplace stress
As April is Stress Awareness Month, Dawn Faulkner outlines how Faerfield have been thinking about what employers can do to help mitigate the impact of stress on individuals and organisations
Bear traps
To escape from a 'bear trap' question in an open question-and-answer session don’t try and come up with the perfect answer or solution, advises Blair Mcpherson.
Future Forum: Councils hit by absence of employee value propositions
The ability of councils to attract, keep and develop future talent is being hit by the absence of a defined employee value proposition (EVP), The MJ’s Future Forum has heard.
Council hit by £4.6m employment tribunal payout
A council that harassed and discriminated against one of its directors will look to appeal an ‘excessive’ £4.6m award for damages by an employment tribunal.
Six observations from my time as PPMA president
Against a challenging backdrop for public services, PPMA president Gordon McFarlane sets out six key reflections from his two years at the helm.
Coventry pushes ahead with 'fire and rehire' plan
Coventry City Council has begun a staff consultation over controversial ‘fire and rehire’ proposals.
Time to break the barriers
Nicola Chiverton argues there is more to be done in key areas such as social inclusion if the sector is to make a success of tackling its workforce crisis.
Sector should adopt national branding campaign to boost workforce
Local government should adopt a national branding campaign to recruit and retain staff amid a worsening workforce crisis, the County Councils’ Network has urged.
Council hands police file on £1m pay-outs
A file relating to allegedly unlawful exit payments to managers at Northumberland CC has been handed to police.
DLUHC claims four-day week council saw spike in agency staff
South Cambridgeshire DC’s controversial four-day week trial is under fresh scrutiny after data revealed a spike in agency work and opponents challenged costs.
Sunderland care workers in equal pay dispute
Female care workers in Sunderland are taking legal action against the city council in a row over equal pay.
Council set to halve sick pay
Southend Council is planning to halve the amount of sick pay given to staff in a move Unison has described as ‘callous’.
A Faer Point
'If we want employees to thrive and equip them with a clear sense of mission, we need to provide the tools, environment, development and support to do it', says partner at Faerfield Jason Wheatley.
Attracting the next generation of local government stars
Luke Judd of Starfish Search reflects on a discussion they had with the ‘rising stars’ of local government as part of their Top Talent series run in conjunction with The MJ.
