Council staff morale 'deteriorating'

And the councillor who discovered the report on the council's computer information network said it should have been made public in January but was never discussed at meetings under the scrutiny of the public or Press.

Coun Tim O'Kane is demanding to know why the results of the Hyndburn Council survey have never been made known.

Deputy Chief Executive Dan Sherry, said he first thought the report had been discussed at a cabinet meeting, but when he checked the council records he discovered he was wrong.

The staff communications survey was carried out in November last year by the policy and performance review section of the council's corporate services department as part of the council modernisation programme required by central Government.

Labour Group leader Ian Ormerod, said: "This report makes damning reading. It paints a picture of confusion, secrecy and poor leadership that has seen staff morale hit rock bottom.

"It's scandalous this report has been kept hidden and I'm demanding an explanation as to why it hasn't been presented to all councillors."

And Unison branch secretary John Davey, said: "The survey should have been published for the staff to see and I have no idea why it never happened.

"I will be trying to find out who has seen it and, if I am not satisfied, I will be discussing the matter with the chief executive of the council when he comes back from holiday."

Out of 620 council employees, 183 returned the questionnaires, with criticism of the new council cabinet structure and the role of senior management.

More 65 per cent of the replies said morale was low and deteriorating, with only five per cent saying it was and improving and six per cent saying it was high but deteriorating.

One respondent wrote: "Heaven help the public when the staff don't even know who works here," while another accused the council's management of the change-over to cabinet style government as 'secretive.'

Others accused council chiefs of "holding too many meetings behind closed doors" and not understanding the "views of staff."

However, there was some good news for the council, with most of the employees writing they had a clear understanding of their role and felt sufficiently informed about issues affecting them and many said their immediate managers did communicate with them.

Mr Sherry said: "The survey has been looked at by the management team over the last few months, but I can't say why it was not discussed at cabinet and we are preparing a response about that.

"You always get criticism in surveys like these, but we have taken them on board and shall be running a corporate training programme which will include team building and personal development for senior and middle management.

"We have also passed two best value inspections and our external auditors were full of praise for the way we work at a policy and resources meeting in July.

"Our new organisational development department, which was created last year, will be carrying out another survey in November.

"It is important to point out we have been designated by the Government as Investors in Local People, so we are ahead of other organisations, despite the results of the survey."

Jim Dickinson said: "Staff communication is always a problem in a large organisation, though the report was available to officers and members on the council information system, so they could have seen it there.

"However, I'm not prepared to make a comment about why it wasn't discussed in public at cabinet meetings, though I will try to find out what happened as soon as I can."