Local MP Alun Cairns has expressed concern that the Vale of Glamorgan Council are spending more than half a million pounds a year on agency social workers. Mr Cairns was concerned about the high numbers of constituents who complained to him about the turnover of social workers. The MP for the Vale of Glamorgan said that many constituents found that having to deal with different social workers including short term agency based workers did not allow them to build up a relationship to help them find long-term solutions to their problems.
Alun Cairns added that although the figure had dropped from a peak of £815,000 a few years earlier, the sum was still too high and called for strong action to be taken.
He explained:
“There are two issues in this matter. One is the huge additional cost to the local council tax payer of agency based social workers but also the impact on support for some of the most vulnerable people by frequent changes.
“These figures signified a wider issue around failure to recruit enough social workers. Whilst temporary staff have a role to play, particularly in terms of providing flexible cover, we clearly have an issue over the ability to recruit and retain enough permanent social workers.
“The figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show that in financial year 2012/13 £564,000 was spent on agency workers.”