This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Joint Staffing Watch
15/04/2004
Figures published today show a year on year increase of
4,734 full-time equivalent staff working in Scottish local
authorities, a two per cent increase between December 2001
and December 2002.
The December 2002 Joint Staffing Watch shows a total of
244,393 full-time equivalent staff compared with the
December 2001 figure of 239,659.
The Joint Staffing Watch and other Scottish Executive
Surveys indicate that these reported increases are
primarily 'front line' staff such as teachers and social
workers and staff directly supporting them.
Over the year to December 2002 there have been increases
in the Social Work service group (up by 2,042 FTE), which
includes professional social workers and home helps and an
increase of 1,077 FTE Non-Teaching Education Staff which
includes education support staff and youth workers.
Increases were also reported in the number of teachers
(661 FTE) and the number of police officers and their
support staff (466 FTE).
Variations in definitions can lead to apparent
differences between the figures produced in the JSW, and
those published elsewhere. For example, the teacher
figures recorded in the JSW include pre-school teachers,
whereas those included in the School Census do not; figures
for pre-school teachers are collected and published
elsewhere. In addition, the School Census covers the
number of teachers working during a certain week, whereas
the JSW covers those in paid employment. This difference
affects the way in which supply teacher cover is
recorded.
A decrease of 1,057 full-time equivalent staff working
in Environmental Services over the year to December 2002
was a result of the reclassification and transfer of staff
between service groups at one local authority. This
transfer of staff partly explains the increase in the
number of FTE staff employed by Direct Labour/Service
Organisation (up by 534 FTE staff).
The new Joint Staffing Watch survey, released jointly by
the Scottish Executive and COSLA, began in 1996.
All figures above are shown to the nearest full-time
equivalent. Therefore, figures may not sum to totals due to
rounding.
Changes in staff numbers may arise as a result of a
local authority service being provided by staff that are no
longer on the payroll of the authority.
The report gives a detailed description of the results
of the December 2002 survey, with comparison with earlier
periods. It provides information on staffing levels in
each council separately by grade of staff and service
area.
"A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century", a joint
agreement between COSLA, the Scottish Executive and
teachers unions/organisations, contains a commitment to
increase the number of support staff in schools by
approximately the equivalent of 3,500 to reduce the
administrative burden on teachers. This agreement was
operational from April 1, 2001.
"A Partnership for a Better Scotland" commits Scottish
Ministers to increase the number of police officers on
operational duty in every police force and also to improve
on the number of overall level of police numbers.
Additional funding has been made available to enable police
forces to achieve these aims.