SICKNESS absence targets are being missed in several Argyll and Bute Council departments, a report has revealed.

The area’s annual performance review for 2017/18 showed that some areas of the authority have suffered double the projected average number of sick days.

With a target of six days per year, customer and support services had eight, governance and law 8.4, facilities and human resources both 12.2 and strategic finance 13.1.

Douglas Hendry, the council’s executive director of customer services, presented the figures at a meeting of the council’s policy and resources committee last week.

Councillor Gary Mulvaney said: “Some sickness absence figures are sitting outwith the target, in a number of departments.

“I know there are reasons for that, but if you look at some departments, it is one or two members of staff skewing the figures, so that is a bit of a concern.

“I would be interested to see what we are actively doing to get that figure back on target as it seems to generally be off the pace.”

Mr Hendry replied: “Sickness absence is an issue for all councils and employers, but I would agree it is a particular issue for us.

“I have reported previously about measures put in place, going heavy on the return to work and ensuring people are supported when they need to be.”

Jane Fowler, head of improvement and human resources, added: “There have been increased levels of stress-related absence.

“But in the council, we saw a particular spike relating to absence in financial quarter four, when people get colds and flu’.

“We have an ageing workforce, and population in general, but we have more employees managing longer term conditions.

“When somebody is going to be off work, they have to attend a series of appointments before and after that period of absence.

“We work very closely with our colleagues at COSLA and other agencies on how we can deal with absences.

“We have also interviewed mental health first aiders on the back of stress-related absence. If they are aware of people looking as if they are not doing too well, they say something.

“There are reasons for absences but we are putting as much effort in as we can to look at ways to tackle this.”

Councillor Lorna Douglas also raised the issue of measures taken when employees are on long-term stress-related sick leave, whether there was cover or their workload was shared.

Mr Hendry said: “There is no one-size-fits-all approach.”

The Advertiser recently reported how staff sick days had cost the council £3 million in hours over the last year.