WARRINGTON’S Liberal Democrat opposition group has raised concerns about staff morale, experienced employees leaving and what it describes as a “toxic culture” at the borough council.
The concerns were raised at Monday’s full council meeting, where former council leader and Lib Dem councillor Ian Marks questioned Labour’s approach to improving the authority as it continues to grapple with significant financial challenges and organisational change.
Cllr Marks said he was “very angry” about the state of the council, claiming that the working atmosphere had deteriorated since he raised similar concerns at the previous meeting.
He told councillors: “At the last Council I said that staff morale was dreadful, the atmosphere was toxic and there is a loss of corporate memory. We appear to have a blame culture. Since the last Council the situation has worsened.”
He claimed that experienced officers were either being forced out or choosing to leave, warning that the loss of their knowledge and expertise could undermine efforts to improve the organisation.
Referring to the council’s recovery plan, Cllr Marks questioned whether enough priority was being given to staff morale and the pressures facing remaining employees.
He asked the council leader, Cabinet and Labour members what immediate action was being taken to improve morale, retain staff and reduce workloads.
He warned that the situation could have “frightening consequences” for the future of the council and the wellbeing of residents who rely on its services.
Following the meeting, Lib Dem group leader Cllr Mark Browne criticised the council leader for what he said was a failure to answer the question directly.
He said Cllr Hans Mundry had referred to the authority’s difficult financial position, which the opposition acknowledged was a significant challenge, but argued that financial pressures should not overshadow concerns about the workforce.
“A toxic culture is no way to motivate staff to cope with the pressures to make cuts when experienced people are no longer there,” said Cllr Browne.
He added that public trust and confidence needed to be restored, reiterating his party’s willingness to work across political groups to minimise the impact of the council’s difficulties on residents.
Council leader responds
Responding to the concerns, Labour council leader Cllr Hans Mundry acknowledged that the authority was going through a challenging period but said staff welfare and wellbeing remained a priority.
He said: “We recognise that this is a challenging time for the council and that we are an organisation undergoing significant change as we continue our improvement and recovery journey.
“Our staff are our greatest asset and we remain firmly committed to their welfare and wellbeing.”
Cllr Mundry said the council recognised that organisational changes and financial pressures had created an unsettling period for many employees.
He added that staff had access to a range of wellbeing support, including a confidential 24-hour employee assistance programme and other health and wellbeing resources.
The council leader also pointed to plans for a new Corporate Plan, which he said would be developed in partnership with staff.
He said the plan would help determine the authority’s future direction and establish a clear set of leadership values and behaviours to be agreed with employees and embedded throughout the organisation.
“While there is much work to do, we remain focused on creating a positive, supportive and inclusive working environment where colleagues feel valued, empowered and able to deliver the best possible services for residents,” he added.
Cllr Mundry thanked staff for their continued commitment during the period of change and said the council remained determined to work with them to build a stronger organisation.
The exchange comes as Warrington Borough Council continues its recovery and improvement efforts amid substantial financial pressures and plans for organisational change.
The competing positions highlight the importance of staff retention, morale and leadership as the authority seeks to balance the need to address its finances with maintaining services for residents.
While the Liberal Democrats have raised serious concerns about the council’s internal culture and the loss of experienced staff, the council leader says measures are in place to support employees and develop a more positive working environment.
