William Eichler 05 September 2024

Scottish councils face critical workforce gaps

Scottish councils face critical workforce gaps image
Image: VRVIRUS / Shutterstock.com.

Local authorities in Scotland are facing critical workforce gaps in multiple areas, in particular in social care and social work, a new report has found.

Scotland’s Local Authority Workforce Report 2024 revealed that 97% of respondents were struggling to fill social care roles. Just over 90% said the same about social work.

Published by Solace Scotland, the report also highlighted the following roles as challenging to fill: mental health officers, planners, environmental health officers, occupational therapists, building standards officers and trading standards officers.

Most respondents (97%) highlighted competition from other sectors as a barrier to recruitment. Skills shortages locally (90%) and pay related issues (90%) were also flagged.

Limited and short-term resourcing (94%) were also cited as barriers, as were a lack of funding for development and ‘grow your own’ schemes (88%) and local labour market challenges (84%).

The research showed that for the vast majority of councils, workforce planning or workforce gaps appeared on council’s risk registers (94%).

Dawn Roberts, chief executive at Dumfries and Galloway Council and Solace Scotland lead for workforce said: ‘The sustainability of our valued local government workforce is critical to ensuring we can transform how we deliver our vital services.

‘This report sets out not only the challenges we are experiencing in local government, but also positive examples and innovative practices across councils which are helping to show the career opportunities we have in local government.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Lifeguard - Shift Pattern 2

Ribble Valley Borough Council
Scale 1B (scp 3-4) £12.45 to £12.65 per hour
We are looking for an experienced lifeguard to perform lifeguard duties for the main and teaching pools Clitheroe, Lancashire
Recuriter: Ribble Valley Borough Council

Lifeguard – Shift Pattern 1

Ribble Valley Borough Council
Scale 1B (scp 3-4) £12.45 to £12.65 per hour
We are looking for an experienced lifeguard to perform lifeguard duties Clitheroe, Lancashire
Recuriter: Ribble Valley Borough Council

Lifeguard – Shift Pattern 2

Ribble Valley Borough Council
Scale 1B (scp 3-4) £12.45 to £12.65 per hour
We are looking for an experienced lifeguard to perform lifeguard duties Clitheroe, Lancashire
Recuriter: Ribble Valley Borough Council

Business Support to Senior Leader

Wakefield Council
£24,790 - £25,183, Grade 4, 37 hours, Permanent
Are you flexible, looking for a challenge and a role where no two days are the same? Then this is the role for you! Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recuriter: Wakefield Council

Locality Team Manager - East

Wakefield Council
£49,764 - £52,805, Grade 12, 37 hours, Permanent
We are looking for a Locality Team Manager to lead and manage a Locality Team Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recuriter: Wakefield Council
Linkedin Banner