I am concerned by the extreme growth in council tax bills just generically attributed to "inflation" and by reports of bloating of staff numbers in the civil service. So, by year, year on year, starting in 2019 and ending current (2024);

1. How many physically employees were and are in full time positions with Wokingham council? (showing by year the numbers please)
This information is as of beginning April each year. Includes staff on the following contracts: Permanent, Fixed Term, Apprentice, Staff seconded in to a role.
Excludes staff on the following contracts: Casual, Agency, Partner/Traded Services, Consultants, Students, Volunteers, Staff Seconded out of a role.
2019: 709
2020: 826
2021: 963
2022: 1019
2023: 1054
2024: 1054

2. How many part time positions are employed by Wokingham council - by year?
This information is as of beginning April each year. Includes staff on the following contracts: Permanent, Fixed Term, Apprentice, Staff seconded in to a role.
Excludes staff on the following contracts: Casual, Agency, Partner/Traded Services, Consultants, Students, Volunteers, Staff Seconded out of a role.
2019: 357
2020: 401
2021: 401
2022: 379
2023: 380
2024: 358

3. How many contract staff are employed by Wokingham council - by year?
This information is as of beginning April each year. Includes staff on the following contracts: Agency.
Excludes staff on the following contracts: Permanent, Fixed Term, Apprentice, Staff seconded in to a role, Students, Volunteers, Staff Seconded out of a role, Casual, Partner/Traded Services, Consultants.
2019: 74
2020: 73
2021: 70
2022: 81
2023: 81
2024: 70

4. What is the average council full time employees salary increase by percentage, year on year, starting 2019 through to current year (2024) - by year.
WBC are part of the National Joint Council (NJC) Single Status Agreement and follow nationally agreed pay scales and pay increases which are in the public domain
2019: 2% Increase
2020: 2.75% Increase
2021: 1.75% Increase
2022: 1.925% Increase
2023: In April 2023 increase was an Amount of £1,925 from Point 2 to 43 and 44 onwards was 3.88%
2024: Pay award not approved still waiting (May be around November again)

5. Who is held to account for these staffing levels and potential salary increases?
The corporate and extended leadership continually review the staffing levels across the organisation. We have a strong robust governance process in place when looking at recruitment of staff and this is done in conjunction with the budget for staffing. Wokingham Borough Council are part of national terms and conditions and therefore have no control over the salary increases awarded each year. This is done as a collective process between Unions and Employers which are made up of several people at a national level. We follow their guidance and apply the agreed rate as and when a collective agreement is reached.

6. Finally, of these staff, how many are employed to cover social media, marketing, public relations or other roles that seem ancillary to a councils vital roles? (if you need guidance on this part of the request, these roles are unlikely to have existed 20 years ago and have little to no impact on real day to day life of citizens)
No staff are employed to solely cover social media, marketing and public relations however 8 staff include these functions within their wider roles.