ALARMING sickness levels among council staff - that amount to twice the national target - have prompted managers to review procedures.

During the last financial year absence levels at Chester-le-Street District Council amounted to 17 days per employee, more than double the national target of 8.3 days. It cost the council £560,200 in pay to absent employees.

Along with public sector chiefs, council managers have been given five years to reduce sickness levels to seven days per employee.

Unison, the main union representing council staff, has blamed stress-related illness due to pressure from constant changes and reorganisation.

Now the council is looking into tackling stress levels faced by its employees.

The council commissioned Marsh UK to identify problems and recommend solutions, concentrating particularly on how the council manages stress among employees.

The results were considered by a working group of managers, team leaders and trade union representatives, who have now drafted a strategy to tackle sickness levels.

The draft is being seen by councillors at a meeting this Thursday.

Monthly meetings now take place between managers and personnel to review the previous month's sickness and decide on any to take action such as informal counselling. A health promotion programme has also been launched.

Strategy manager John Banham said: "This report is demonstrating that we're modifying our procedure and taking advice on what the best arrangements are for managing best attendance at work.

"I think the absence is down to a combination of different factors and I think it's something that's probably the same in most organisations."

Government figures released at the beginning of the year reveal high absenteeism at councils across the North-East, with council staff in the region taking an average of 11 days a year off.

Even in comparison with other public sector workers, the region's councils fare badly. At Durham Constabulary, officers and support staff take an average of 11 days off a year, while teachers in the county take 6.5.

Unison said the figures had come as little surprise taking into account the pressure council staff were under.