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23.11.04
Haringey Council is to spend £30 million employing temporary staff over the next
financial year, according to official projections. The figure, revealed at
yesterday's meeting of the Borough's scrutiny committee, prompted Liberal
Democrat councillors to call for an urgent inquiry into the Council's use of
temporary staff and agency workers.
The watch-dog committee was examining spending proposals for the next three
years as part of Haringey Council's budget setting process. It was suggested
that the cost of temporary workers had more than trebled from £8m in 2000 to
£30m next year.
Lib Dem calls for urgent action were supported, and the committee will now
start the process of taking a detailed look at the role of temps within the
Council.
Commenting, Councillor Stephen Gilbert said:
"By any measure £30 million is a lot of money and we have to be clear that we are getting the best possible
value for local tax-payers. Temporary workers will have a role in an
organisation of Haringey's size, but their services always come at a premium
with agencies also taking a healthy commission.
"Permanent staff are more likely have a sense of identity and provide
ballast to an organisation and we must look closely at why we are so reliant
on temps. Is the recruitment process for permanent workers taking too long
or are we failing to hold on to people when they have been recruited?"
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