Single contract for agency staff

Previously the council used a number of different agencies across the various service areas to supply temporary staff. This fragmented approach was not only inefficient due to the large number of purchase orders, manual timesheets and supplier invoices that had to be processed, but it was also a cause for concern with regard to the level of control, costs, risk and legal compliance. From September 2006 to August 2007 the council had to raise 384 purchase orders and 507 invoices to employ temporary staff.

Idea – Engage a single provider of temporary agency staff.

Results – Temporary workers are now engaged through a single service provider. From September 2007 to August 2008 the council spent a comparable amount on temporary staff however the number of purchase orders has dropped to 65 with just once invoice to process a week. Manual timesheets have been replaced with electronic timesheets which are all managed online.

The single contract has also secured the council a five per cent saving on the cost of temporary staff due to economies of scale.

Thanks to Newark and Sherwood District Council for this example