DWP Confronts 'Existential' Crisis Amid Rising Youth Unemployment Wednesday, February 18, 2026 dwp youth unemployment workforce benefits pandemic skills employment training government The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is facing what has been described as an “existential” crisis: the urgent need to reintegrate younger people into the workforce. Recent data reveals that youth … Read More
Gender Pay Gap Narrowed at Dudley Council by Reducing Lower-Paid Female Roles Tuesday, February 10, 2026 genderpaygap dudley council employment wages women part-time paygap workforce roles Dudley Council has reported a reduction in its gender pay gap, a change primarily driven by cutting jobs held by lower-paid female staff, according to a recent report set to go before the council’s cabinet on February 11. The … Read More
HS2 Impacts Dudley Council’s Ability to Recruit Key Officers, Watchdog Hears Wednesday, January 28, 2026 hs2 dudley recruitment interim surveyors budget localgovernment cipfa overspend workforce Dudley Council’s chief executive has revealed that the HS2 rail project is intensifying recruitment challenges for key council officers. During a January 26 meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, members discussed a … Read More
Skills Investment Key to West Midlands Meeting Ambitious Housebuilding Targets Monday, January 26, 2026 westmidlands construction skills training housing apprenticeships workforce education investment infrastructure The West Midlands is ramping up investment in construction skills training to meet its ambitious housebuilding targets. Mayor Richard Parker emphasized the critical role of workforce development in achieving regional housing … Read More
Mental Health Tops Reasons for Increased Sick Leave Among Dudley Council Staff Sunday, January 25, 2026 dudley council absence mentalhealth sickness workforce stress healthcare employment wellbeing Dudley Council staff are taking more sick leave, with mental health concerns leading the reasons for absence. Recent figures from April to November 2025 reveal that the number of full-time council employees dropped from 5,887 … Read More
Staff Numbers Cut as Solihull Council Tackles Financial Challenges Friday, January 9, 2026 solihull council staff resignation recruitment agency sickness budget children workforce Solihull Council has significantly reduced its workforce through a mutual early resignation scheme (MERS) and stringent recruitment controls as it grapples with budget pressures. Last spring, all council employees, excluding … Read More