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Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee |
26 January 2026 |
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Report of the Chief Officer – HR and Support Services
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Workforce Profile as at Quarter 3 2025/26
Summary
1. This report provides the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee (SMUC) with the workforce profile, covering the period of 1st October to 31st December 2025, for fair comparison some figures are for a full or rolling 12 month period, where this is the case it will be stated.
Background
2. The data provided in this report is already available throughout the Council to both employees and managers. The workforce data provided through the performance framework, is discussed with Corporate Management Team, Directorate Management Teams and Trade Unions.
Analysis
3. Annex 1 gives a full overview of key performance indicators directly linked to the Council’s workforce.
4. Headcount, FTE, new starters, resignations and leavers rates at the Q3 position in 2025/26 and the year 2024/25 are as follows:
*Figures for 2024/25 New Starters & Leavers are for the equivalent quarter period
5. Resignations as a reason for leaving is higher at Q3 2025/26 compared to year-end 2024/25.
In Q3 2025/26 there were slightly more new starters than leavers but both were less than the equivalent quarter in 2024-25. The council continue to be successful at being awarded funding and adverts for new posts for fully funded posts continue to be appointed to. Funding success has been dominant in Education, City Development, Learning and Skills and there is also investment in the new Programme Management Office as part of the Council’s transformation team. Housing and Communities directorate have seen TUPE of staff from changing lives in December 2024, and there has been a decline in some agency in housing but other areas including trades have been filled with agency. Work with York (WWY) assignments will continue to be used but are a key part of the cost control. Agency assignment numbers have increased over the quarter, but are constantly reviewed and fluctuate to meet demands across the council directorates: finance directorate includes cleaning staff and transport and environment placements include project officers and operational waste staff. There is also additional agency staff appointed in adult social care as part of improvement work following the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment outcome published in December 2025.
6. Employee turnover remains at 12%.
7. The Council is continuing to restructure and there are further workforce changes both planned and in consultation. In some instances agency is being used as a temporary measure to support vacancies ahead of restructuring and mitigate change.
8. Table 1.11 and 1.12 in Annex 1 shows analysis of resignations by age and grades; trends are largely comparable between Q3 2025/26 and 2024/25. More detailed information is not available on reasons for leaving other than information shown in table 1.6; the Council does not collect where an employee is moving to, for example to another local authority, private sector, to take up university/further education to spend time with dependents etc.
9. The age band of 50 to 64 is the highest workforce age band of the Council’s workforce. The average age of the workforce has reduced slightly over the years (now 47 years old), and the 50 to 64 age band makes up 42% of the Council’s workforce, slightly less than the percentage of Yorkshire and Humber (43%) and slightly higher than England from the Census data (41%).
10. Cost control measures continue to challenge spend, when a post becomes vacant, some remain unfilled or alterative options are considered including acting up arrangements for existing members of staff. HR are working with relevant managers to ensure creative recruitment for hard to fill vacancies that need to be filled. Wellbeing is at the heart of all considerations, it is repeatedly reinforced that employees are not expected to work excessive hours to cover unfilled vacant roles, and decisions around priorities and ways of working have to be considered creatively.
11. Sickness absence figures have remained stable since the last year. The Council does have several employees who are on long term sickness with terminal illness, for these employees we explore ill health retirement options, but employee long-term absence continues to be part of the absence figures, this may in some cases distort absence figures in some directorates.
12. We continue to benchmark absence with neighbouring and regional councils and City of York Council are experiencing the same trends as other Councils. It is however, known there is not one common calculation method for absence. Some council’s exclude maternity related absence, or absence during notice periods, or absence for apprentices, therefore comparing like for like is difficult. What is important is the management of absence and managers and employees using the tools and training available in a compassionate and constructive manner.
13. In terms of equalities profiling, the workforce gender and age distribution remain largely comparable year on year. Similarly, the declaration of sexual orientation and disability remains largely the same, as is the figures for employees declaring Black Asian and Racially Minoritised Community (BARMC).
14. We continue to promote and request that employees update their sensitive information (for example disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation) status to allow us to have a closer comparison with our local community.
15. Rather than provide a separate report, retention payments will now be reported in this overview report. Since June 2025, there has been one application for Retention payment covering one post and one employee. Retention payments must meet set criteria, be led by market data and are closely monitored. Retention payments are up to a 10% addition on the substantive salary. The application below was assessed and approved by Management and the Trade Unions at CCNC in July. This is for noting by the Committee only, and the officer would be identifiable if further details were provided hence, an overview only.
Retention payments are for a 12-month period unless stated otherwise:
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Grade of post |
Number of job holders |
Effective date |
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12 |
1 |
1.6.24 to 30.6.26 |
16. This Committee also approved a market supplement in June 2025 for the Corporate Director of Children and Education Services. The committee will be presented with an update of the market supplement when the pay award for 2026 has been approved by National Joint Council employers and trade unions and the impact can be presented, there is no fixed date as yet.
Consultation
17. The contents of the report and Annex have not been consulted on as the data is factual and already available through different sources.
Council Plan
18. The content of the report and annex are not material to the Council Plan but are valuable information to contribute to relevant workforce data evidence and the profile of the workforce has been included in the Council Plan 2023-2027.
Implications and risks
19. There are no implications or risks associated with this report.
Recommendations
20. Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee is asked to:
i. Note the workforce profile provided in Annex 1 and this covering report including addition of retention payment details as per paragraph 16.
Reason: In order to provide an overview of the workforce profile.
Contact Details
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Author: |
Chief Officer Responsible for the report: |
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Jacqueline Chiplin HR Advisor
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Helen Whiting, Chief Officer - HR and Support Services
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Report Approved |
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Date 12 January 2026 |
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Specialist Implications Officer(s): None. |
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Wards Affected: |
All |
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For further information please contact the author of the report |
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Background Papers:
Previous Workforce Profile Reports:
Full Year 2024/2025 (2nd June 2025)
Workforce Profile Report 2025/2026 to Quarter 1 (1st September 2025)
Annexes:
Annex 1 – Workforce Profile report 2025/2026 to Quarter 3