Issue - meetings

Members considered the annual report on the expenditure incurred during 2017/18 on the engagement of externally appointed temporary and agency staff and consultants.

The following points were highlighted:

·         The value that consultants had added would be contained within the report in future years.

Examples from the last year were given of the expert ecologist that helped with the Marina/Green Corridor funding bid, and the procurement specialist on the Leisure management contract that contributed to the saving of £269k per annum;

·         Almost half of the expenditure on interim/agency staff was on operational services, which ensured seasonal work, operational cover and service delivery were maintained;

·         The recommendation could have been worded in such a way to capture that Members had been assured that the use of agency staff and consultants was reasonable;

·         WLDC were trying to develop a more flexible workforce, by looking at more temporary contracts, and by using interim arrangements where they were appropriate.

Many of the staff employed seasonally had come through Surestaff;

·         When third parties were commissioned to provide services, it was their expertise and professionalism that was being purchased, rather than them being an interim employee.

RESOLVED to accept the content of the report.