Almost 10 per cent of Ceredigion County Council staff said they had witnessed bullying at work, a council-run survey has revealed.

The results of Ceredigion County Council’s People Survey 2024 were put before the council’s Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 24 March.

The survey revealed that 9.56 per cent of council staff said they had witnessed bullying towards others at work, and 6.35 per cent said they felt they had been bullied at work in the past 12 months.

3.72 per cent of those surveyed said they felt discriminated against in the past 12 months, with 3.46 per cent witnessing discrimination of others at work.

The survey was responded to by 1,017 staff members – just over half of the workforce.

Of those who responded, that means 97 staff members witnessed bullying towards others at work and 64 felt they had been bullied at work.

The survey findings come after a call for an independent cultural review into Ceredigion County Council - similar to the one carried out at Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service – was rejected by council chiefs.

Cllr Marc Davies called during a Cabinet meeting in February for a review, similar to the one published the same month which found that bullying and harassment was ‘widespread’ at the fire service.

Council Chief Executive Eifion Evans shut down Cllr Davies saying that inspections and investigations by Estyn, CIW, Audit Wales and WLGA have “been consistent that this authority is run well.”

“If there is going to be an investigation there needs to be evidence you need to look at in particular,” he said.

“What have Estyn, CIW and Audit Wales missed that we need to investigate something else?”

Ceredigion County Council said that “any incident of bullying or discrimination is of concern” but said that the council’s figures “compare very favourably when measured against national benchmarks in other public sector bodies.”

“To prevent and address discrimination and bullying at work, we have robust policies in place, developed in partnership with trade unions, to ensure clear procedures are in place for handling concerns,” a council spokesperson told the Cambrian News.

“We have recently strengthened our Dignity at Work Policy to extend protections against bullying and harassment from third parties, such as service users, their families and members of the public. “Training for managers and employees reinforces our zero-tolerance approach, and we continuously review our policies and processes to ensure they remain effective.

“Employees who feel they have experienced or witnessed discrimination or bullying have access to a range of support services.

“Our trained Dignity at Work Officers provide confidential advice and guidance, encouraging individuals to report concerns.

“We also offer extensive training to employees and managers to ensure everyone understands their rights, the reporting process, and the support available.

“In addition, our comprehensive employee wellbeing services offer further emotional and practical support.

“As an employer, using these survey insights, we remain committed to making improvements to further enhance the working environment for all our hard-working and dedicated employees.”