A COUNCIL has revealed a new policy giving staff five days paid leave each year to do volunteering work.

Denbighshire council’s cabinet approved the new volunteering policy at its meeting on Tuesday, which set out standards of recruitment and guidance for managers.

As part of the procedures staff can take five days paid leave each year but managers must make sure any unpaid roles don’t “create a conflict of interest” and time taken will have to be “in line with business needs”.

Cllr Richard Mainon, lead member for corporate services, explained how the new policy had been developed alongside unions.

He said the new guide made it “easier for managers” to give staff who did unpaid community work time off and looked to engage with the “public bank of well meaning and ridiculously public-spirited” volunteers in the county.

During the cabinet discussion it emerged more than 1,000 people put themselves forward to do unpaid work just for its countryside service, taking on tasks such as tree planting, dry stone walling, footpath construction and creating wildlife habitats.

However cllr Tony Thomas, lead member for housing and communities, said new procedures for taking on unpaid helpers could put some off bothering.

He said: “We have more than 1,000 volunteers in countryside services. This is a big job.

“I do have some concerns but I am very impressed by the work that has been done (putting the policy together).

“I am just concerned that some people will be put off by some of this.”

Cllr Bobby Feeley, lead member for well-being and independence, agreed she wouldn’t want to put off “people who can’t be bothered” with the new processes.

Cllr Mainon said the new policy meant those giving up time to help others would get a proper induction into whatever service they were helping and make sure “none of that time was wasted”.

The authority’s strategic planning manager Nicola Kneale said the new processes would be “monitored” to make sure there weren’t any barriers for those people who wanted to help.

A new handbook has also been developed to give new volunteers information about what they can expect and what is expected of them when doing unpaid work for the council.

The cabinet ratified the new policy and its progress will be considered through scrutiny.