A NATIONAL HGV drivers’ shortage resulting in an inability to fill driver vacancies has led to Teignbridge Council’s waste and recycling team proposing salary increases to help retain and attract new staff.

An aging HGV workforce, a backlog in driver tests and the loss of European workers have all contributed to the national shortage.

With 10 HGV vacancies, it has been impossible to run a reliable waste and collection service said Cllr Alistair Dewhirst, Teignbridge Executive Member for Recycling, Household Waste and Environmental Health.

‘Staff have done their best to compensate for missed collections and delays by working additional hours and over weekends, but this is unsustainable for long periods and we need to attract new recruits.’

Although radio, social media and banner advertising campaigns have attracted more applicants, the council has been unable to fill vacancies due to competitors paying higher pay rates.

To help fill vacancies, the council has funded three HGV drivers’ training, have three more in the process of gaining their license and have also used agency drivers where they could be recruited.

Councillors will be urged next week (November 29) to increase pay rates from December 1 for drivers to current market levels.

It is proposed to increase the pay band of an HGV driver to Grade 21 [£28,371 to £29,439] and to fund this year’s additional costs from savings resulting from vacancies.

To help cover the full year cost from next year, councillors are also being asked to increase the garden waste collection charge by £5 to £55 from 1 April, raising £125,000 additional income in 2023/24 and partially offsetting the full year salary increase of £244,850.

Cllr Dewhirst said that raising pay rates was essential.

‘With the national shortage of drivers, we are not going to recruit drivers if our pay package is below the market rate and is not competitive both in terms of salary and benefits.

‘I’d like to thank our staff for the monumental effort they have made to maintain services. Some collections have been missed but the vast majority of residents have received a high-quality service.

‘I’m sorry that we need to increase the garden waste collection charge to help offset these additional salary costs but even at £55 for the annual service it remains good value and competitive with other councils.’