TOO many employees are going sick, members of Winchester City Council heard.

It employs around 500 people, who between them took nearly 4,500 sick days last year, an average of 9.2 days per person.

The annual rate among the top 25 per cent of councils is currently 8.3 days.

Cllr Richard Worrall, Conservative, expressed his concerns when the full council met at Winchester Guildhall last Wednesday (June 27).

He asked if more data was available to show if any departments had a particular problem with sickness.

Council figures revealed that some areas had a clean bill of health, while others were not so blessed.

Staff in the financial services department were absent for an average of 14.8 days last year.

By comparison, the estates department was fighting fit, with only 2.3 days during the same period.

The authority is aiming to reduce the figure across its workforce to eight days next year.

If it succeeds, it would pull clear of the bottom 25 per cent of local authorities for staff sickness, members heard.

Cllr Worrall then asked if the target should not be tougher, especially as 12 of the 23 departments had already reached it.

Cabinet member for finance and resources, Cllr Freddie Allgood, said the target was reasonable.

He added that in 2005/06, staff took an average of 10.2 days sick leave, which meant that the figures were now going in the right direction.