Solihull Council has significantly reduced its number of employees as part of stringent cost-cutting measures designed to tackle a multi-million pound deficit.
Paid Resignations Drive Staff Reduction
The authority, which employs around 6,000 people, offered a mutual early resignation scheme (MERS) to all non-school staff last spring. The scheme allowed employees to leave in return for a severance payment.
The initiative cost approximately £1.7 million, funded from a transformation pot backed by £10 million in exceptional government financial support. However, it ultimately delivered a saving of around £2 million for the cash-strapped council.
Adrian Cattell, the council’s head of human resources, provided an update to the Resources and Delivering Value Scrutiny Board on Monday, January 5. He confirmed that in the year to the end of September, the council’s headcount had reduced by 158, with a full-time equivalent reduction of just under 108.
Scrutiny of Agency Use and Sickness Rates
Alongside strict recruitment controls, the council has also curbed its spending on temporary staff. Figures show that £5,643,805 has been spent on agency workers so far this financial year, a reduction of 36.3% compared to the same period last year.
Mr Cattell explained that half of all agency workers were in children’s services, but this cost was falling as permanent appointments were made. He stated agency use varied, including covering gaps while recruiting permanent replacements.
The meeting also addressed staff sickness levels, which have risen slightly. The average number of sickness days per employee increased to 11.72 days in the year to September.
Councillor Leslie Kaye expressed concern, noting expectations that figures would improve post-pandemic. “To see the statistics get worse, what we are doing at the moment doesn’t seem to work,” he said, suggesting a new strategy might be needed. Board chairman Councillor Dave Pinwell echoed the call for stronger sickness management.
Broader Staff Turnover and Service Pressures
Overall, the council recorded 420 leavers in the year to September 2025, an increase of 49 from the previous year. Despite the wider reductions, children’s services saw a net increase of seven full-time employees, highlighting ongoing pressures in this critical department.
The session, held at the Civic Suite, underscored the ongoing financial challenges facing local authorities and the difficult balancing act between achieving necessary savings and maintaining essential frontline services.
