SICKNESS rates among Flintshire County Council staff have rocketed. In the last nine months, 41,750 days have been lost through absenteeism and sickness - compared with a total of 35,146 in whole of the previous year. It has been estimated the sick note syndrome has cost the cash-strapped authority around £2.3m so far in the current financial year. The council executive was told in a report by director of corporate strategy, Julia Lorkin, that between the third and final quarter of 2006, absenteeism shot up by 30%. This is equivalent to every employee having two weeks off sick per year -compared with just under seven days in 2005-06. In the last quarter of 2006, 16,237 days were lost through sickness. Most absenteeism was in the adult social care department, followed by community and housing, education and environment and regeneration. Northop Hall county councillor Tony Sharps said: 'This level of sickness is unforgivable and unacceptable as Council Tax payers can't be expected to continue underwriting this level of sick notes for the council. 'It's a disgrace and I shall be raising the matter on budget day when the level of Council Tax is fixed. 'As far as I can see one of the biggest villains is the education department - that's where the most 'sickies' seem to happen. This is concerning as it affects our children's futures.' One councillor, who did not want to be named, said: 'The only explanation for high sickness rates I've heard is that morale is low because of job uncertainty and last year's redundancies. This appears to have translated into stress for many employees who then go off sick.' A spokesman for the council said the rise in sick leave was mainly down to an increase in long-term absences. Flintshire employs the equivalent of 5,111 full-time staff. george.tattum @cheshirenews.co.uk | 
