Sevenoaks DC, not unlike most local authorities, faces significant challenges recruiting and retaining good staff. The local government landscape has changed dramatically in the last decade, with austerity and associated wage stagnation combined with rising customer expectations and a buoyant jobs market.

Despite these challenges, Sevenoaks DC has a good record of attracting and keeping good staff, helping the council to deliver high quality, customer-focused services – even investing in new ones – and becoming the first financially self-sufficient council.