Agreement reached on 2025/2026 pay award

An agreement has now been reached on the pay award for 2025/2026.

The pay award agreed includes an increase of 3.2% on all National Joint Council spinal column points, locally agreed spinal column points, sector pay grades and certain allowances.

You will have seen an increase in your August pay, with salary backdated to Tuesday, 1 April 2025.

Festival of Hope: World Suicide Prevention Day 2025

Together with our mental health and wellbeing community partners across East Riding and Hull, the council is supporting a new Festival of Hope, in aid of suicide prevention awareness.

The festival begins next Wednesday, 10 September on World Suicide Prevention Day itself, launching with a Walk for Hope, led by Fitmums and Friends from East Park to the Humber Wellbeing Hub, and will run until Monday, 15 September – when the Baton of Hope visits the East Riding as part of its second tour across the UK to ‘stand up to suicide’ and spread the message of prevention.

Activities and events will be taking place across the local area aimed at reducing the stigma that surrounds suicide, as well as highlighting training and education opportunities and providing a safe space for people to come together and talk.

Biodiversity seagrass planting

Our environmental management system (EMS) e-learning module has been updated to include new content on biodiversity and how we can meet our legal duty to protect it.

This updated training will be rolled out to:

• All new starters
• Staff who are due for a refresher.

If you'd like to get ahead and complete the module early, just drop the training team a message at: eryctraining.support@eastriding.gov.uk

Legacy Independent Funeral Directors investigation update

Last month, together with Hull City Council we were able to confirm the final plans for memorial gardens to remember those affected by the Legacy funeral home incident, following a consultation with families and the general public earlier this year. There will be the opportunity for families to have a free name plaque for their loved one and following the consultation, further seating and bird baths have been included in the designs.

Construction is well underway at the chosen site in Hull, which is at the Northern Cemetery and at Lelley Fields Crematorium near Preston (pictured). The designs at both sites will be in keeping with the existing surroundings and works are anticipated to be completed by mid September. A private ceremony is planned for families and loved ones to inter ashes at the Northern Cemetery memorial.

The independent charity Victim Support continues to run a dedicated helpline and support service for anyone affected by the incident on 0808 281 1136, or visit the Victim Support Legacy webpage.

Read the latest update from Humberside Police following the Hull Crown Court hearing on Wednesday, 13 August. 

Launch of Holiday Activities and Food Christmas grant

Applications are open for the Holiday Activities and Food Christmas grant.

Organisations can apply for up to £5,000 to deliver fun activities in the Christmas holidays. Applications are welcome from charities, schools, town and parish councils, faith groups and businesses.

The deadline for applications is 12 noon on Monday, 15 September. 

Lelley Fields shortlisted for two prestigious APSE awards

Lelley Fields Crematorium has been shortlisted for not one, but two national awards at the upcoming Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Annual Service Awards 2025.

Lelley Fields has been recognised in the following categories:

• Best service team – cemetery and crematorium
• Best building and housing initiative.

Finalists were selected in July, and the winners will be revealed at the awards charity dinner in Scotland this September.

Sewerby Hall and Gardens, near Bridlington, has earned Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice award, recognising its commitment to hospitality excellence.

Blue bins campaign shortlisted for LARAC award

We’re proud to share that our blue bins campaign has been shortlisted for best communications campaign of the year at the 2025 Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) celebration awards.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Wednesday, 8 October, following the first day of the annual LARAC UK Conference.

Register for our next EDI forum: journey to parenthood

Our next equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) forum focuses on the journey to parenting.

While the title may suggest a focus on those actively pursuing parenthood, this event is open to all staff.

📅 Wednesday, 17 September

🕒 9.30-11am

📍 Virtual via MS Teams

If you have any questions you'd like to raise at the forum, email internal comms.

Upcoming network migration – what you need to know

To keep the council’s ICT services running smoothly, digital, change and technology staff will be migrating the old core network to a new, modernised network.

📅 When will this happen?

• Thursday, 11 September, starting at 7am
• Tuesday, 28 October, starting at 7am

The aim is to have everything back up and running by 8.30am on both days.

⚠️ What Will Be Affected?

During these times, the public access network will be offline. This means anything connected to it won’t work, including:

• Computers in libraries and adult education centres
• Boditrax health machines still connected to the public access network
• Sonos music systems still connected to the public access network in leisure centres.

Council staff flu voucher scheme 2025/26 – apply now

Our annual flu voucher scheme is now open. By supporting colleagues to access a free flu vaccine we can build a healthier workforce ahead of the winter and protect those around us, both at work and at home.

Please first check if you qualify for an NHS flu vaccine, before requesting a free flu voucher through our council staff Flu-Xpress scheme.

Apply for a staff Flu-Xpress digi voucher on the provider website here.

You can also share this short link with your colleagues: eryc.link/flu-vouchers

Please note, our voucher scheme is also available to payrolled staff at East Riding of Yorkshire Council maintained schools. If you work for an academy trust school, they should provide you with information about their flu scheme arrangements.

If you are eligible for the NHS scheme, please take up this offer when invited by your GP or NHS this autumn, or book an appointment online now on the NHS website.

We’ve updated our probation policy

We've made our probation policy clearer and more supportive. Managers are now encouraged to give more structured feedback, and employees are given more opportunity to request support.

These changes are designed to help new starters feel welcome, understand their role, and succeed with the right help.

Humber Forest sets new record

Humber Forest planted a record 368,000 trees during the 2024-25 season.

Our staff contributed to this achievement by taking part in team-building tree-planting days.

Scott Richardson, highway development management team leader, joined his team for a tree-planting day in February.

Scott said: “We felt proud to have planted more than 1,000 whips, which will mature into a beautiful hedgerow in years to come.”

Staff and service users at Withernsea Day Centre pay tribute to beloved “Dancing Queen’’ Jeanette

Staff and service users at Victoria Avenue Day Services in Withernsea have paid tribute to beloved service user, ‘’Dancing Queen’’ Jeanette Gell, by opening a brand new pergola and seating area at the centre.

Jeanette, sadly passed away in January, at the age of 53 following a short illness.

With the help of the team and Jeanette's family, funds were raised to build an outdoor seating area at Victoria Avenue Day Services in her memory.

Know Your Numbers! Get your blood pressure checked

Every year UK charity Blood Pressure UK promotes Know Your Numbers! week – this year’s campaign runs from Monday, 8 September to Sunday, 14 September 2025. 

East Riding Smokefree Homes incentive scheme launches

A pilot incentive scheme to encourage and support pregnant smokers in East Riding to quit smoking has now launched.

In partnership with quit smoking programme provider Xyla, public health has set up an app-based rewards scheme with BetterPoints. The scheme aims to support pregnant people who smoke (and one additional household member who smokes, either a family member, partner or friend) to stop smoking for good.

By taking part in Xyla’s free Healthier Futures quit smoking programme and reaching set points on a tailored journey to quit, eligible residents will be able to ‘earn’ rewards which can spent as vouchers at high-street stores such as Boots, John Lewis, Argos and Ikea, as well as participating local businesses, or donated to charity.

Public health would like to encourage eligible staff, family members or those who work with residents to find out more and take part in the early stages of this pilot scheme (currently running until March 2026). 

Win two tickets to The Illegal Eagles
at Bridlington Spa

We are offering you the chance to win two tickets to see The Illegal Eagles.

Known for its stunning harmonies, the tribute band will play iconic hits from The Eagles’ back-catalogue.

The event takes place at Bridlington Spa on Saturday, 20 September.

Entries close on Sunday, 14 September, after which a winner will be chosen at random. 

Win tickets to Festival of Words

Win two FREE tickets to the East Riding Festival of Words

The East Riding Festival of Words is back, and YOU could win free tickets!

With so many bestselling authors visiting the county this autumn, East Riding Libraries are giving away two FREE tickets to any Festival of Words event to a lucky member of staff.

These tickets include any single event ticket. Some events may be sold out, so we will only be able to offer tickets that have capacity.

Hurry, entries will close on Sunday, 14 September, after which a winner will be chosen at random.

Eryc's summer adventures

Our travelling ted has had a fun summer...

He joined Hannah Broadwell-Hill on a trip to Ibiza, where he supped pints of San Miguel, explored the sites, and had an ice cream (or two!)

He also spent time with Amanda Oliver and her grandson, joining the duo for tea and alpaca walking in Dunswell.

Chance to win 1 of 10 £100 gift cards!

We’re giving away 10 prizes in our latest competition – and you could be in the running to win one just by registering with Vivup!

All you need to do is visit the Vivup platform and complete your registration between 00:00 on 1st July 2025 and 23:59 on 30th September 2025. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win!

That’s 10 chances to treat yourself – whether it’s a home upgrade, a wardrobe refresh, a movie night, or a delicious dinner out.

Register now at Vivup to be in with a chance to win!

Lifeline staff take part in parachute jump

In July, five Lifeline colleagues completed a charity parachute jump for The Candlelighters Trust, inspired by Sam Moore’s son Brandon, who battled leukaemia.

Joe Anderson, Martha Dixon, Sam Dixon, and Craig Harris joined Sam for the challenge - raising more than £1,200 for the charity.

Farewell and happy retirement to Sandy Thurlow

After 27 years with the council, we’re saying a fond farewell to someone who’s been a constant across our CFaS teams for nearly three decades - Sandy Thurlow, performance technician.

Sandy joined the council as an administrator in 1998, before taking a secondment as a technical assistant and she never went back! Her skills and dedication led to a permanent role, working across the Bridlington North and Driffield teams, and later solely in Bridlington North, making a lasting impact wherever she went.

Quiet but tenacious, nothing has ever been too much trouble for Sandy. She’s seen her colleagues through the highs and lows, always remaining a steady, dependable presence.

And of course, who could forget her ever-changing, vibrant hair colours? You never quite knew what shade would appear next, and it always brought a smile.

From everyone at the council, congratulations on your retirement, Sandy!