Council staff could be given extra paid 'leave days' to volunteer in Peterborough to boost retention

Staff at Peterborough City Council (PCC) could be paid to do voluntary work outside their normal job under plans aimed at improving employee retention.

Council staff would be allowed to do “any activity that positively impacts the community, helps vulnerable people in our society and/or helps to improve the environment” on company time under the plans due to be voted on by councillors this week.

The total time that staff would be allowed to take off for this is two days – but this can be taken in half-days or shorter blocks of an hour or more.

PCC documents say that acceptable voluntary work done during these days will usually be with a charity, non-profit, school, college or hospital.

Not only will this help local communities, they continue, but also PCC’s attractiveness as an employer.

“Peterborough City Council, like many other councils, finds it difficult to recruit and retain staff in some services,” the documents say.

“Other councils have been offering paid volunteer leave for some years. There is an expectation amongst future and current employees that a generous benefits package is offered to all staff as their differentiator as an employer.”

PCC currently has more than 20 vacancies advertised in the social care sector, more than in any other part of its business.

The impact of the new scheme “will be monitored and measured against nonfinancial benefits such as engagement”, the council says, as well as “attraction, retention, reputation and publicity”.

The financial impact will be that it costs two days’ salary per person who signs up to the scheme, PCC says, giving the example of £218.24 for a grade 8 worker (roughly in the middle of its 15 tiers of pay).

“Some examples of valuable volunteering activities include working with the homeless, supporting residents with mental health issues, reading buddies in schools to help build literacy, and mentoring of looked-after children,” council documents say.

While elected PCC councillors will be voting on the scheme on Thursday (7th August), they will not be eligible for it as they are not classed as council employees.