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%