TENDRING Council has retained a prestigious award recognising its quality as an employer for the fifth year running.

The authority has kept its Investors in People award, which assess employers on a range of factors by carrying out an all-staff survey and holding interviews with groups of workers and leaders.

The council was last reviewed in 2019, where it held onto a gold award.

Following its two-year review, Investors in People has once again conferred the title on the authority.

Council leader Neil Stock said the fact the council had achieved gold for five years – even when the assessment criteria had been made tougher – showed how the authority continued to build upon its success year-on-year.

“This success is a testimony to the work and dedication of all of our staff, right across the council, and especially when you consider the extraordinary challenges we have faced in 2020, and still face today,” he said.

“We remain one of the largest employers in the district, with more than 600 full and part-time staff so by leading by example we demonstrate the importance of this for other organisations and businesses in Tendring.”

Jayne Chapman, chairman of the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee, said a happy workforce meant a more efficient workforce.

“Tendring Council has always taken staff welfare seriously, but this has been really clear throughout the Covid-19 pandemic as I have seen through the practical support, online exercise classes and much more offered to staff,” she added.

“Investors in People is a good measure of the quality of staff welfare, and I am pleased Tendring Council has again kept its Gold award.”

 Chief Executive Ian Davidson added: “I would like to give my particular thanks to all our staff and our HR department for their continual efforts to make sure we keep up strong levels of employee satisfaction and engagement.

“Ultimately, though, this award is about every single member of our staff and the brilliant work they do for our community.”