STAFF from Hyndburn Council will be offered vouchers to exchange at pharmacies for a flu vaccination this winter.

Council leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson, said: "We have robust reporting systems which mean officers can analyse the reasons for sickness absence and take action to reduce this.

"We hope that offering a flu vaccine to people who don’t qualify for one free on the NHS will be a low-cost way of keeping staff healthy and in work through the winter months.

"This in turn helps us carry on delivering excellent services to our residents and reduce the impact on health services at the time of year they’re needed most.

"We don’t know yet how many staff will take up the offer but we’ll be able to look back and review the costs and benefits to decide if it’s something worth doing again next year."

Cllr Noordad Aziz, chairman of the resources scrutiny committee, which recommended looking at offering flu vaccines at its September meeting, said: "It’s really important that the Council continues to take measures to promote health and wellbeing and we were reassured that there is the right mix of health promotion as well as setting down clear expectations of regular attendance."