Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that provided him with performance information on the City Council’s use of agency workers procured for the Quarter 4 period, 1 January to 31 March 2017 and sought consideration of Interim Manager and other agency worker spends for the same period.

Coventry City Council had a Master Vendor Contract with Pertemps for the supply of agency workers which came into effect in December 2013 and had recently been extended.  Through the contract, Pertemps supplied all suitable agency workers through their own agency or via a 2^nd tier arrangement with other agencies on behalf of the Council, using rates of pay based on an agreed pay policy and a negotiated mark-up rate with the Master Vendor. The information supplied by Pertemps gave detailed information on agency worker usage and expenditure. However, Pertemps was not always able to supply the required agency workers and on occasion service areas would use other suppliers where this was the case.

Appendices to the report provided details of the total Directorate expenditure on agency workers up to and including Quarter 4 2016/2017 for spends with Pertemps, including interims; justification of new orders placed by Directorates for agency workers; and equalities data for workers supplied through the Pertemps contract.

Alternative solutions to agency staff were being developed and work had commenced on developing in-house solutions to some of the Council’s staff shortages. Within the People Directorate, Children’s Services were developing some ideas on an alternative contract that pitched hourly rates similar to those that could be earned working through an agency. Other benefits and inducements are also being considered as part of a package to be offered to Social Workers to take roles with the Council.

The Place Directorate had two strategies to reduce the reliance on agency workers within Waste. A pool of employees, who were contracted full time but who may be placed within any team that required them. These employees typically filled in to cover leave and absence.  Also a small bank of casual workers, usually drawn from workers who had previously worked for the Council via an agency, who were offered work when shifts could not be covered through the substantive workforce or during times of peak activity. This bank of casual workers was being expanded in anticipation of increases in workload. 

A Recruitment Plan had been developed with the objective of recruiting to 20 specialist roles within the Highways, Traffic and Transport Teams. This would reduce the cost of agency spend and promote Coventry City Council as the employer of choice.

Over 160 CVs were received through the creation of a Talent Pool which allowed applicants to register their interest. In addition, a microsite had been developed which included a career video promoting the major programme of capital investment in highways and infrastructure within the City and the benefits of working for Coventry City Council.

One appointment had been made and managers were confident in recruiting to other vacancies. A marketing plan would be implemented for vacancies that remained and an apprentice/graduate programme would be introduced.

The Cabinet Member welcomed the in-house solutions that were being developed as alternatives to using agency staff and affirmed his view that where an increase in workload was on-going, permanent recruitment be pursued. He requested a detailed breakdown of costs associated with Social Worker agency staff and all other agency workers, separately. He also requested that Waste Services be represented at future meetings of Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources, when Agency Workers Performance Management Reports were on the agenda. He further sought clarification of the total Council spend on Agency Workers for 2016/2017.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources:

(1)  Notes the agency/interim spend by the City Council for Quarter 4, 1 January to 31 March 2017.

(2)  Notes the work done on providing in-house solutions to providing agency and interim workers.