TORRIDGE DISTRICT COUNCIL looks after public services for residents tucked away in the top left-hand corner of Devon in an area that borders Cornwall, takes in a rugged stretch of coastline touching the Atlantic and includes the island of Lundy. The Tory-led authority is responsible for the British Isles' only place with an exclamation mark in its title. Staff are almost as excited about the positive changes going on at Torridge as the planners who decided to found the seaside village of Westward Ho!, which takes its name, complete with the upbeat punctuation, from the Charles Kingsley novel of 1855. Whereas public spending watchdog the Audit Commission rated the council as "poor" in 2003, it was assessed as "good" just five years later. Following a successful visit in October last year, the council also picked up an Investors in People award. One of Torridge's strongest areas in our staff survey is employee wellbeing, with staff saying they are happy about the balance between their work and home life (69% positive, and a score beaten by just two other mid-sized organisations). Torridge council offers several forms of flexible working, ranging from job-sharing to school-hours contracts and the option of a career break. Stress is uncommon (71%, a top 10 score), deadlines are realistic (62%) and people's health is not suffering because of the job (70%). The council has also resolved concerns about pay. A spokesman said: "People have confidence in the pay system, which is jointly owned by staff representatives. Employment policy is being modernised and staff representatives are involved in the decision making process. "Communications are fantastic. Staff hear it first from the council and debate is encouraged, and people really do enjoy first-class benefits." The average annual salary at the council is £18,000, and 60% of the 313-strong workforce take home between £15,000 and £25,000 each year. Employees say they are satisfied with their pay and benefits (64%, a top 15 ranking among the mid-size organisations on our list). www.torridge.gov.uk
