Brighton and Hove City Council employees are taking an average of more than two weeks off a year through sickness.

Levels are particularly high in social services at Brighton and Hove City Council, where stress is thought to be a major cause.

Figures show absences have dropped from last year but scrutiny committee members concerned about the issue have asked for another report.

Working days taken off per employee rose from 10.75 in 2000/01 to 12.85 the following year but fell last year to 11.15.

The figure is far higher than in Medway, where employees take an average 6.9 days off, but lower than Portsmouth where the figure is 11.96.

City council human resources director Mark Lamb said the figure for social services last year was 18.84 days per employee, mainly due to work pressures.

There were also high sickness levels in the refuse and waste department because of the difficult nature of the work.

Employing agency staff costs the council millions of pounds, although they are not always covering for sickness.

If the council manages to meet its target of reducing sickness to 10.35 days per employee this year, the estimated saving will be £470,000.

An urgent review of how to make improvements is being undertaken and results should be ready next month.

The Audit Commission has also told the council it needs to be more consistent in its policy towards reducing absence.

Mr Lamb said a marked increase in sickness levels had appeared to coincide with the implementation of a policy not to fill most vacancies because of a financial crisis.