Agenda item

Kevin Gordon, Assistant Director, Professional Services, presented a report setting out the arrangements the Council had in place for the use of temporary staff.  Members were informed that the use of temporary staff provided flexible working opportunities for the residents of Slough and although the Council endeavoured to recruit staff directly, there were occasions when the use of temporary workers was advantageous, such as when the post was not  required on a long term basis.  The Committee was also advised that  shortages in some occupational groups meant that the Council had no choice but to recruit via the temporary market.

The Assistant Director advised that Pertemps, the Council’s onsite Temps Agency was frequently used to source temporary workers.  It was noted that this contract would be due for renewal and renegotiation in the near future.

It was also highlighted that the use of contractors had on occasions,  despite being relatively expensive to employ, saved the Council a significant amount of money.  A Member questioned whether it was possible for a number of Local Authorities to share the employment of one consultant, and was advised that this was something that the Council would implement were possible.  It was noted for example that the post of Health and Safety Officer was shared between Slough Borough Council and Reading Borough Council.

The Assistant Director advised  that this was the first time that the Council had  collated statistical information with regard to the use of temporary workers and that further work would be carried out with all departments, to collate and analyse information such as the annual spend on temporary workers, their average cost and the average length of a temporary worker’s tenure.  Members were advised that a further report would be presented detailing this  information.

Members were particularly concerned that temporary workers/ consultants should not be used by the Council for long periods of time.  It was noted that all Council departments would be made aware that temporary staff employed via Pertemps could be transferred with no cost to the Council, after the completion of nine weeks employment.

The Assistant Director agreed that a more detailed report would be presented to the Committee at its December meeting.

Resolved – That the report be noted and that a further detailed report on the  Employment of Agency Staff/ Consultants be submitted to the Committee on 6^th December, 2011.