Issue - meetings

Purpose of Report

To recognise the Council’s staff and seek approval to award all employees an additional annual leave day.

Decision

That an additional day of annual leave for all City of Lincoln Council employees be approved, subject to this being calculated on a pro-rata basis dependent on the hours they were contracted to work and it being taken within the next two years.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reason for Decision

During the Covid-19 pandemic the Council’s priority had been to support its residents and businesses to help keep the city safe and ensure it continued to deliver essential services.

The Chief Executive, in presenting the report, highlighted the unprecedented nature of the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that she had never been as proud as she had been over the last few months in terms of the resilience of the Council’s staff who had risen to the significant challenges faced as a result of the pandemic. She reported that the Council had dealt with the crisis as a ‘One Council’ team in a very proactive and innovative way, with the manner in which the Council’s employees had worked together and responded to work differently and flexibility having been incredible.

It was therefore proposed, in recognition of these challenging times, to implement one day’s additional annual leave to be awarded to all employees. This would be on a pro-rata basis dependent upon how many hours the employee was contracted to work and could be taken within the next two years. It was recognised that many staff had been unable to take this year’s annual leave allocation as a result of the work they were undertaking and their dedication to keep services running.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe echoed the Chief Executive’s sentiments entirely and said that since the beginning of the pandemic the Council’s priority was to keep services going. The way in which staff had adapted had been magnificent and their efforts were greatly appreciated. Although possibly perceived as a small token, Councillor Metcalfe emphasised that it in no way underestimated the regard the Executive had for everything staff had done for the Council and the city’s residents.

Councillor Chris Burke added that the proposed additional day of annual leave was well deserved and was something other local authorities and organisations were doing to acknowledge the commitment of their staff.