A STRESS busters team is being formed to reduce town hall sickness levels.

Trained trauma counsellor Peter Levine has been given the job of recruiting a ten-member squad to talk through personal problems with staff at Redcar and Cleveland Council.

Teachers already have access to the council's Teacher Stress Project, now Mr Levine, a former duty team manager with the council's Social Services department, is hoping to recruit a team from across all council departments to tackle a range of stress factor problems affecting staff.

"We are prepared to deal with any sort of problem: it could be bereavement, a traumatic experience at work or depression," he said.

"We aim to recruit members of staff who are qualified in counselling and who would be interested in working with staff in the authority."

He accepts some people may be reluctant to take advantage of the service, concerned their request for help might be seen as a sign of weakness.

But Mr Levine said: "The management of the project is to show the opposite is true - that an individual is seeking help in order to perform competently at work."

The council has just been awarded a Partners in Health Promotion award from the Tees and District Health Promotion Service for its commitment to tackling health issues among its workforce.

Mr Levine plans to hold seminars to explain to council departments what the stress team is about, while giving staff the opportunity to ask questions.

He added: "All governments in the past 15 years have increased the statutory powers of local authorities, which at the same time have become more lean, staff-wise. The workload increases and the workforce decreases.

"I think it is just common sense, that, if, as an employer, you provide a confidential personal service, it will have a healthy impact on the work situation."