Dumfries and Galloway council develops marketing plan to recruit frontline workers

A marketing campaign is being developed to help recruit essential frontline workers badly needed by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

The local authority is struggling to deliver key services due to staff shortages, mainly caused by the current Covid situation.

A series of recruiting tours will take place in the region over the next few weeks to find workers to fill vacancies in the majority of departments.

Council leaders will also seek permission from the finance committee today to spend £15,000 on a recruitment marketing campaign.

It is proposed that the money be spent as follows: leaflet drop-off – £9,300, radio advertisements – £1,750 and infomercials/posters/leaflets – £3,950.

A report to be submitted to the Finance Committee indicates: “This is part of the work undertaken on a marketing and communication strategy in response to recruitment issues within the home care service, within the framework of the medical partnership -social.

“The Head of Finance and Procurement advised that funding to meet this request is available within Scottish Government funding received to support the impact of Covid-19 in the current financial year.”

The extreme pressures the board is under were discussed at the recent Response, Renewal and Recovery Committee.

Speaking at the meeting, Richard Grieveson, the chief executive of response, renewal and recovery, said: “We have looked at the number of vacancies and where there are significant pressures in services – due direct and non-direct Covid absences.

“Thereafter, we prioritized 101 ‘business-critical’ positions. They are at the center of the accelerated approach to employment.

“They include a range of different individuals – cleaners, catering, lorry drivers, homeless officers, road officers, senior social workers and so on.

“We are considering a range of different approaches – not just recruiting events – to target these positions.”