Council pays £29,000 just to head hunt three manager posts

2:30pm Friday 25th January 2013 in Local News By Jon Austin

Phil Turner Phil Turner

CASH-strapped Basildon Council has spent £29,000 on hiring headhunters to recruit three senior managers, the Echo can reveal.

The spending comes as 1,000 employees at the council were put at risk of redundancy with some 200 jobs set to go.

The council has hired Solace Enterprises to recruit a new head of customer service, head of regeneration and an asset manager for the housing department.

One council worker in the refuse team, who refused to be named, said: “This is like a kick in the teeth.

Everyone is terrified they might lose their jobs and then we hear that they are paying thousands to headhunt people and can hire more consultants at the drop of a hat.”

Basildon Labour group leader Nigel Smith said: “We are paying over the odds for senior staff while cutting lower jobs providing valuable services for the public."

Phil Turner, deputy council leader, said the consultants had their “finger on the pulse” of the type of staff the council needs.

He said: “What we do is test the market for the best people. We use recruitment consultants to make sure we access the opportunities for the best candidates to come forward.”

 

Comments (7)

2:35pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Alice in Her Own Land :P says...

You couldn't make it up.
You couldn't make it up. Alice in Her Own Land :P

3:26pm Fri 25 Jan 13

andyh says...

Many years ago I was flattered to be called by a head-hunter ... until I realised that he had failed to do his research and was suggesting a job that paid less (and was almost certainly less interesting) than my then current job.
Many years ago I was flattered to be called by a head-hunter ... until I realised that he had failed to do his research and was suggesting a job that paid less (and was almost certainly less interesting) than my then current job. andyh

3:55pm Fri 25 Jan 13

GrumpyofLeigh says...

Christ, I'm gald I live in the Southend area which has a fiscally-responsible council.
Then again.....ummm...
Christ, I'm gald I live in the Southend area which has a fiscally-responsible council. Then again.....ummm... GrumpyofLeigh

4:35pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Discouraged says...

They also spend £800 a day on temps while others are on notice that they may lose their jobs. Huge debts over the sports centre are forcing the council to sell off any bit of green to developers. Kitchens fitted by a company employed by the council had to be removed as they were rubbish. This is what happens when fools are given a cheque book.
They also spend £800 a day on temps while others are on notice that they may lose their jobs. Huge debts over the sports centre are forcing the council to sell off any bit of green to developers. Kitchens fitted by a company employed by the council had to be removed as they were rubbish. This is what happens when fools are given a cheque book. Discouraged

5:37pm Fri 25 Jan 13

shallotman says...

I thought the Council was short of money.
I thought the Council was short of money. shallotman

5:43pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Cosmo Spring says...

shallotman wrote:
I thought the Council was short of money.
this is an indication why.
[quote][p][bold]shallotman[/bold] wrote: I thought the Council was short of money.[/p][/quote]this is an indication why. Cosmo Spring

11:03am Sun 27 Jan 13

TheWizzard says...

Discouraged wrote:
They also spend £800 a day on temps while others are on notice that they may lose their jobs. Huge debts over the sports centre are forcing the council to sell off any bit of green to developers. Kitchens fitted by a company employed by the council had to be removed as they were rubbish. This is what happens when fools are given a cheque book.
£200,000,000 debt i believe and rising by the sound of it!
[quote][p][bold]Discouraged[/bold] wrote: They also spend £800 a day on temps while others are on notice that they may lose their jobs. Huge debts over the sports centre are forcing the council to sell off any bit of green to developers. Kitchens fitted by a company employed by the council had to be removed as they were rubbish. This is what happens when fools are given a cheque book.[/p][/quote]£200,000,000 debt i believe and rising by the sound of it! TheWizzard

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