SPENDING on temporary and agency staff by North Somerset and Somerset Councils has been branded as 'very bad value for money for the public' in a recent report. Calls to curb the spending have been made to the council by GMB, the general trade union for t

SPENDING on temporary and agency staff by North Somerset and Somerset Councils has been branded as 'very bad value for money for the public' in a recent report.Calls to curb the spending have been made to the council by GMB, the general trade union for the UK, which has found that North Somerset Council spent £2,635,000 on agency staff and Somerset County Council total is £6,174,000 on both temporary and agency.Richard Ascough, GMB regional secretary, said: "Council spending on temporary and agency staff generally represents very bad value for money for the public. In most cases the only winners are the employment agencies that take a considerable slice of this money for administration and profits."We have worked with councils to reduce the amount they spend on non-permanent staff. This resulted in improved services to the public, better pay and working conditions for the staff and savings for council taxpayers."GMB will now write to councillors advising them of the figures and insist that they follow the example of councils that have reduced spending on temporary and agency staff."A North Somerset Council spokesman said: "As a council we are looking at ways to reduce this figure. It covers temporary, agency and consultant staff, who undertake a large range of roles and responsibilities including supply teachers, administrative staff and those that work in highly specialised areas.