WILTSHIRE Council will conduct no further investigations into staff morale, despite calls from some councillors for an independent review.

Independent councillor Jeff Osborn led calls for a detailed investigation to be conducted after 252 redundancies were announced last year and, shortly after, corporate and service directors were awarded pay increases of up to 16 per cent.

Leader Jane Scott rejected the calls at Tuesday’s oversight and scrutiny committee meeting, blaming any low morale on external criticism of the council, and political infighting.

She said: “I talk to probably more staff than anybody in this organisation, and they are fed up with this council being pulled apart in the press and with councillors criticising their work.

“Officers tell me they are doing their best but they feel it’s not good enough when they are getting constant niggles from councillors.

“We are very good at throwing bricks, but not good at giving bouquets.”

Wiltshire Liberal Democrat leader Jon Hubbard said: “If you look at sickness rates among council staff you’ll see they are actually declining, so I think morale has been improving, rather getting worse.”