Maldon District Council's staff turn-over compares favourably with other similar councils and is below the national average for local authorities.

In a report to members of the treasury and public accounts select committee this week, head of corporate services Stuart Elrick said that the staff turnover ratio for 12 months to December 2000 for full and part-time staff was 11.3 per cent. The mean average figure for the public sector nationally is 16.8 per cent.

But he said that the council had experienced difficulty in recruiting staff in housing benefit, building control and environmental health.

"For housing benefit there is a national shortage, and the same for building control, but for environmental health it is experienced environmental health officers we need," said Mr Elrick.

"We are looking at paying market supplements and looking to see whether we can train any of our existing staff to take on a more responsible role."

The council carries out exit interviews for all staff leaving the authority, and the main reason given is for personal and career development. Mr Elrick said: "We cannot match the salaries of the larger authorities and London boroughs.

"Nor can we, because of our size and flat management structure, offer career advancement as readily as larger authorities."

But he added that, generally, the interviews expressed a high satisfaction with the working conditions and culture of the authority.

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