Nine in ten councils are experiencing staff recruitment and retention difficulties, according to the Local Government Association (LGA) 2022 Workforce Survey.
According to the survey, more than eight in ten councils (83%) are having difficulties recruiting children’s social workers and almost three-quarters (72%) are having problems retaining them. For adult social care workers, 71% of councils are struggling to recruit and 57% are struggling to retain.
Recruitment issues were also highlighted by councils for other specialist roles, including planning officers (58%), environmental health officers (45%), building control officers (43%) and HGV drivers (22%).
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The LGA warned that such staff shortages could seriously impact the capacity of councils to deliver services. They are also restricting the ability of councils to help the government meet its pledges to build more homes, boost and level up economic growth, and reform adult social care.
James Jamieson, LGA chairman, said that workforce shortages were “adding to the challenges” facing local services.
“In the coming years, some services are likely to continue to see a significant increase in demand which they will not be able to meet without an increase in the supply of skilled staff. Government investment in local government and its workforce is key to ensure services are protected and also to delivering its own policy agenda.”
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