Issue - meetings

Amanda Rudham HR Manager presented a report updating the Committee on the use of temporary agency workers at Cheshire East Council and provided feedback on the implementation of the new agency workers contract with Commensura which commenced on 1 April 2012.

In April 2012, the Council appointed Commensura as a neutral vendor supplier. This method of agency contract meant that Comensura did not employ any agency workers directly, but managed a supply chain of a wide range of recruitment agencies that were better placed to meet the Council’s diverse needs.

Overall spending on agency workers for 2011/12 was approximately £6.8 million. Up to July 2012 in the current financial year, the Council had spent £1.2 million which if extrapolated for the full year would amount to approximately £3.72 million.

Amanda informed the Committee that the category with the highest demand for agency workers was manual workers, but that this category included a very wide range of jobs. Although the current average tenure of agency workers was 22 weeks, many contracts were for as little as one or two days.

In response to a question about the benefits of creating ‘banks’ of workers, Amanda informed the Committee that discussions were being held with Commensura regarding the possibility of creating ‘talent pools’ in high demand areas to improve the service.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and the progress made in connection with the new agency workers contract in terms of improved performance in relation to management of agency workers, economy and efficiency be welcomed.