STRESS and mental health problems have led to a rise in the number of sick days by council staff.

Durham County Council lost an average of 11.08 days through sickness in 2017/18.

Of that, more than 60 per cent was long term and the majority was mental health related.

Discussing the figures, cllr Fraser Tinsley said: “We’re looking at a situation where it’s over 11 days for staff sickness and the reason we’re given is mental health and stress. The national average is 4.3 in the private sector, in the public sector it’s 6.4 – why have we got such a high sickness rate?”

He added: “It’s a real area of concern across the whole organisation.”

At the end of Q4 last year, council workers lost an average of 10.48 days to sickness, marking the sixth quarter in a row in which the absence rate had fallen.

Cllr Richard Bell, leader of Durham’s Conservatives, echoed the concern, highlighting the emphasis on mental wellbeing encouraged by his own employer.

Responding, Jenny Haworth, the council’s head of planning and performance, said: “We’re bringing forward a programme to try and encourage staff to take their breaks and go for walks at lunch time.

“Our staff getting burn out is in no one’s interest.”

She added it was difficult to compare the council to other industries or authorities.

She pointed out the council employs staff in a wide range of roles, including officer workers and manual labourers who are more susceptible to back and muscle problems.

She added the council has a ‘greater proportion of the workforce over 50’ compared to other organisations.