COUNCIL chiefs in Worcester are due to miss their target on work sick days - with cases of stress, anxiety and depression up by a quarter.

A new report on sickness at Worcester City Council reveals how the average number of days off ill for staff is forecast to rise as high as 8.5 for 2014/15.

This time last year bosses, who had succeeding in getting the figure down, were aiming for it to fall from an average of 8.1 to around seven-and-a-half days per worker.

New data shows how the average for the entire 2014/15 year is expected to end up between eight and 8.5 days.

Some 35 per cent of days off were for depression, anxiety or stress compared to the previous figure of 28 per cent, a rise of a quarter.

The Conservative leadership at the council says the report is nothing to "panic" about, especially as two years ago the average worker took nearly 12 days off ill.

But they say they are determined to get it falling again and will investigate the root causes behind it.

Councillor Chris Mitchell, cabinet member for finance, said today: "I hope we can hit our target, but it looks like we're not going to achieve that.

"But things are still better than two years ago. I am concerned that it looks like we won't hit the target set, but I want to look at the underlying causes and see what's behind it."

The opposition Labour group has criticised the fresh data, saying it is concerned over worker morale.

Labour Councillor Lynn Denham said: "We've got a reduced workforce due to austerity, and this shows we've got a stressed workforce.

"These are very worrying signs."

Ruth Mullen, the council's corporate director for service delivery, said: "We are committed to bringing down sickness levels and we are focussing on our staff's well-being to help them avoid falling ill in the first place.

"We do this through a range of methods including offering a free-to-use employee assistance programme, regular health MOTs, health advice, promotion of campaigns like the national 'No Smoking Day' and much more.

"We will continue to review the causes of sickness absence and provide appropriate support for our staff."

In the private sector the average is just under six days per year, while at Worcestershire County Council it is 7.7 days per employee.