SIGNIFICANT improvements were said to have been made in the overall staff sickness absence levels across Bridgend County Borough Council in the last financial year.
A report by the Shared Regulatory Service for 2023-24 delivered to council bosses at a recent cabinet meeting showed the overall sickness absence levels for 2023-24 were at 6.93 days per person.
This was noted as a “marked improvement” from the previous 2022-23 annual report where the overall sickness absence rate stood at a total of 10.47 days per person, with the figures described as being “on a par with the record low rates of sickness seen during the ‘Covid year’ of 2020-21.”
The report added: “It is particularly pleasing to see a near halving of the long-term sickness absence rate for the year.”
While it was noted that there was a slight increase in short-term absence compared to the previous year with a rise to 3.22 days in 2023-24 from 2.78 in 2022-23, in the wider context of the average sickness rates this was said to “compare favourably” with other local councils.
The purpose of the annual Shared Regulatory Services report is to provide updates on the performance of Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing functions for Bridgend County Borough Council, along with its partners at Cardiff council and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Elsewhere it was noted that 98.03% of food establishments across Bridgend county borough were broadly compliant with food hygiene legislation, while officers carried out inspections which found 53 premises selling illegal vapes which resulted in seizures of 7,105 illegal e-cigarettes.
The performance report also discussed the work carried out over the year to tackle issues with empty homes in the area, along with building safety and air quality monitoring.
