MORE Powys County Council staff are on stress related leave on absence than two years ago.
Figures found by the Conservative Party through Freedom of Information requests throughout Wales reveal that the figures are up by 18 per cent.
Powys County Council (PCC) comes right in the middle of the 22 local authorities, with an 11.6 per cent increase from 2016/17 to 2018/19.
Out of a staff of over 5,500, 347 have been ill with stress this year.
In 2016/17 the numbers were 311 and for 2017/18 the figures dipped down to 286.
The biggest increase came in Merthyr Tydfil where absences more than tripled from 105 to 318 and Ceredigion saw a rise from 72 to 132.
The lowest numbers are at neighbouring Monmouthshire County Council which saw a drop of (minus) – 16 per cent from 244 to 205.
Cabinet Member for HR, Councillor James Evans, (Conservative, Gwernyfed) said; “The county council takes the health and well-being of staff extremely seriously and provides a range of support to mitigate work related stress, which is recognised as the main cause of absence.
“Staff are being put under more and more pressure from the significant funding cuts from the Welsh Liberal/Labour Government.
“The council has provided specific training and counselling support and has a new employee self-referral programme providing telephone, internet or face-to-face support, as well as a number of initiatives on mental health and physical well-being.”
Last week PCC launched ‘Care First’ a confidential, impartial advice and support service which is available 24 hours-a-day, 365 days a year providing practical support for staff.”
The figures are:
Council
No. of Staff on Stress Leave
Increase
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
on 2 years
Anglesey/Ynys Môn
53
53
45
-15.10%
Bridgend
532
559
581
9.20%
Blaenau Gwent
247
217
210
-15%
Cardiff
796
916
1170
47%
Caerphilly
746
747
807
8.20%
Carmarthenshire
361
343
375
3.90%
Ceredigion
72
102
132
69.50%
Conwy
319
296
276
13.50%
Denbighshire
390
411
395
1.30%
Flintshire
433
399
463
6.90%
Gwynedd
464
475
508
9.50%
Monmouthshire
244
230
205
-16%
Merthyr Tydfil
105
163
318
202.90%
Newport
370
386
424
14.60%
Neath Port Talbot
345
315
357
3.50%
Pembrokeshire
282
371
384
36.20%
Powys
311
286
347
11.60%
Rhondda Cynon Taf
487
451
507
6.10%
Swansea
343
519
513
49.60%
Torfaen
180
168
231
33.90%
Wrexham
465
556
632
35.90%
Vale of Glamorgan
326
387
409
25.50%
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