We recognise the costs involved in relocation and in an effort to be as flexible as possible offer a great relocation package for professionals planning to move to the area. There is the opportunity to apply for up to £8000 relocation costs. It will be specified on the job advert if the relocation scheme is applicable to the post.

All staff can join the BCP Council pension scheme which is part of the wider Dorset County Council scheme. The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is a tax approved, defined benefit occupational pension scheme. The benefits under the scheme are set in law and are based on the length of your membership and your final salary. The alternatives to joining are to take out a Personal or Stakeholder Pension or rely on the State Pension.

As part of the Health & Wellbeing Programme, we have taken advantage of the Government’s Green Transport Plan and introduced a Bike to Work Scheme. This scheme allows you to lease a bike and safety equipment over a 12-month period for use in travelling to, from and at work. The lease cost is deducted from your gross pay in equal instalments over a 12-month period and you can lease equipment up to the value of £1000 inclusive of VAT.

All of us have lives outside work. Many of us have primary or shared responsibility for caring for children, elderly relatives or others; most of us take part in some form of educational, voluntary or leisure activity. Work is important too. Getting the balance right between the two is never easy. At BCP Council we want you to feel supported in striving to achieve your own work/life balance, so that all aspects of the quality of life can be enhanced.

BCP Council recognises the difficulties faced in balancing these competing interests. We also recognise that to attract and retain good quality people, to ease pressures at home and work, to minimise absenteeism and to do our best to create a working environment in which you feel you can give your best, we need to be flexible in the demands we make.

Flexible working arrangements are promoted for all employees. General guidance to the types of flexible working options available includes:

• Full time working
• Part-time working
• Job-share
• Term-time working
• Annualised hours
• Mobile working
• Compressed weeks/fortnights
• Flexible working
• Option to purchase additional annual leave

In addition to flexible working opportunities we offer a range of support to help staff with caring responsibilities including both statutory and non-statutory schemes. Support includes: unpaid leave, maternity and support leave; paternity and parental leave, adoption leave, annual leave, compassionate and special leave.

We are committed to protecting the wellbeing of our staff. As well as providing a supportive environment, we also have a confidential employee support and counselling service, which provides assistance should you have any with personal or work-related issues. The Health and Wellbeing Service aims to maintain and improve the wellbeing of all employees in the workplace and provides a comprehensive service which is accessible to all. Counselling can be offered as part of the confidential health and wellbeing service.

Employees can refer themselves or others for counselling if they are experiencing problems or difficulties at work and/or at home. Under this service we are able to offer short term focused counselling up to a maximum of six face to face sessions. Our Counsellors can provide information on local support groups and organisations dealing with issues such as bereavement, bullying, domestic violence, finances and accommodation.

There is a corporate subsidised membership scheme for BCP Council’s leisure facilities.