Council staff stress levels ‘unprecedented’, survey suggests

According to a new survey conducted by Unison, government cuts have have lead to 73 per cent of council staff experiencing increased levels of stress.

The report, entitled Under Pressure, Underfunded and Undervalued, found that 75 per cent of council workers had seen their workload increase, while three in five had reported that they were working longer than their contracted hours.

The survey collated the responses of 2,000 council workers which identified that almost two-thirds of staff reported a decline in morale over the past year.

Heather Wakefield, Unison’s head of local government, said: “Council staff are being worked into the ground because of government cutbacks. If you neglect the people who empty our bins, who support our children and care for our vulnerable relatives then you neglect the services we all depend upon.”