A marketing campaign is being drawn up to help recruit vital frontline workers Dumfries and Galloway Council badly needs.
The local authority is struggling to deliver key services due to a shortage of staff, primarily caused by the ongoing Covid situation.
A series of recruitment roadshows will take place in the region over the coming weeks to find workers to fill vacancies in roles across the majority of departments.
Council chiefs will also seek permission from the finance committee today to spend £15,000 on a recruitment marketing drive.
It is proposed that the cash is spent as follows: leaflet drop – £9,300, radio adverts – £1,750, and advertorials/posters/flyers – £3,950.
A report to be tabled at the finance committee states: “This aligns with work undertaken on a marketing and communications strategy in response to recruitment challenges within the care at home service, within the context of the health and social care partnership.
“The head of finance and procurement has indicated that funding to accommodate this request is available from within the Scottish Government funding received to support the impact of Covid-19 in the current financial year.”
The extreme pressures the council is under were discussed at the recent response, renewal and recovery committee.
Speaking at that meeting, Richard Grieveson, the chief officer for response, renewal and recovery, said: “We looked at the number of vacancies and where there are significant pressures in services – as a result of direct and non-direct Covid absences.
“Thereafter, we prioritised 101 ‘business critical’ posts. They are very much the focus of the fast-track employment approach.
“We are looking at a whole range of different approaches – not just recruitment events – to target those posts.”
