Temporary staff spend in first quarter of 2023/24 is nearly half a million.
Folkestone & Hythe District Council have spent an nearly half a million pounds on temporary staff in the first quarter of the financial year 2023/24.
According to their published data, in the first quarter (April – June) they have spent £471,312. This is 42% more than they spent in the previous year first quarter
If such levels of spending continues over the next nine months, this would set a new record for spending on temporary staff once again.
Under Dr Susan Priest’s (pictured) leadership, the million pound mark for spend on temporary staff has been broken three times, since she became Head of Paid Service & Chief Executive on 1 April 2018. In 2022/23 the council spent nearly £1.7m on temporary staff, the highest amount ever.
Given the Council has a deficit of £16m over the next four years, surely it would be wise and prudent for the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Sub-Committee, to look at the issue of temporary staff spend, to see if anything can be done about the council addiction to temporary staff.
Lets not forget section 3(1) of the Local Government Act 1999, imposes a requirement on all local authorities to deliver what is termed “best value” – it states:
A best value authority must make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
Given the escalating costs for temporary staff, are you as the local ratepayer receiving “best value“?
We’ll leave you to think about that.
The Shepway Vox Team
The Velvet Voices of Voxatiousness
Another day and another story of the totally incompetent Susan Priest .
How is she allowed to continue to waste our money and get away with it .
The new Councillors were voted it to stop this … so get on and do it
Check the consultant and temp. day rates.
Council money attitudes> Easy come, easy go!
Maybe they should look at retaining staff and explore why so much staff sickness.
Could be it’s not a great place to work
A general attitude of ‘Not our money anyway’.
There is a culture of bullying within FHDC and the person most guilty of this is non other than Susan Priest .
She has been protected for so long by a certain Council Leader that got booted out at the last elections.
It would seem already that the new incumbents are afraid of her and give her free rein with our taxes .
One might even suggest our council operations appear to have been effectively high jacked away from over all public benefit.
And to the benefit, of who?
No prizes for correct guesses.
The current system is sorely over due for change
As a FHDC employee, I know exactly why there are so many temporary staff – quite simply no-one wants to work there! Only consultants and agency staff who earn way more than us employees can be recruited. Staff are in fear of the bullying culture and many I know are actively looking for other jobs. We have seen what happens to colleagues when the spotlight falls on certain Directors – the officers below are scapegoated all the way down and have to jump before they’re pushed. We are all living in hope that the new administration will address this horrible situation – and in the meantime we log onto indeed.com on a daily basis!