Sick days cost council £1.3m over 2007-10

The local authority was one of four councils across Northern Ireland with an absenteeism rate more than double that of the best-performing council, Magherafelt, which had an absenteeism rate of just 7.91 days over the same period.

The information was released by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) which published its Absenteeism in Northern Ireland Councils 2009-10 report on Friday.

The report calculates that Derry City Council lost an average of 1,343,000 in productivity in each of the three years.

It suggests that if Derry City Council reduced the amount of days lost through "sickies" to a level equivalent to that achieved in Magherafelt it would potentially increase productivity by 724,000 or 4.2 per cent of staff costs.

The absenteeism rate in Londonderry did improve somewhat compared to 2004-7 with the average days lost down by 0.17 and a consequent average productivity gain of 13,000.

The audit report found that 24 per cent of days lost were due to stress, depression, mental health and fatigue.

It also showed that 40 per cent of council workers were not recorded absent at all over 2007-10.

The Chief Local Government Auditor John Buchanan stated: "Derry City Council experienced a marginal reduction in its three-year average absenteeism rate of 0.17 days from 17.32 days in 2004-07 to 17.15 days in 2007-10.

"The Council's absenteeism rate continues to be significantly above the Northern Ireland council 2009-10 average and is more than double the lowest rate found in Northern Ireland councils.

"Within the 2007-10 period, however, the Council recorded a year-on-year reduction in absenteeism. Absenteeism cost the Council an average of 1,343,000 in lost productivity each year during the 2007-10 period.

"This cost could have been reduced by 724,000 each year if the Council had matched the lowest average annual absenteeism rate for the period.

"The fall in absenteeism rates, between the 2004-07 and 2007-10 periods, has meant an average annual productivity gain of 13,000.

"Twenty-four per cent of absenteeism in the Council was the result of stress, depression, mental health and fatigue. The average for Northern Ireland councils was 22 per cent."

DUP Alderman Maurice Devenney said more work needs to be done to reduce the absenteeism rate at the local authority.

"A lot of work has been done but a lot of work remains. We have been working through the staff committee and with the line managers to get on top of the problem but the absenteeism rate is still too high," he said.