BARNSLEY Council has spent more than £50m on agency staff since 2021, the Chronicle can reveal.
A Freedom of Information request, seen by the Chronicle, shows that a huge £50,086,987 has been spent on plugging gaps in staffing between 2021 and 2026.
Local councils frequently use agency staff - temporary workers recruited through external employment agencies - to fill various roles, from social workers and planning officers to refuse collectors and administrative staff.
While agency staff usually cost more per hour than permanent employees, councils rely on them for several strategic, operational, and financial reasons.
The money was spent on staff for the council’s five main departments - children’s services, core, growth and sustainability, place health and adult social care and public health and communities.
Children’s services saw the highest amount spent, with more than £26m - half of the overall spend - on that sole directorate.
There is a national shortage of qualified social workers.
Councils legally must provide these services, so they use agency staff to keep caseloads at safe levels.
The 2021/22 calendar year saw the lowest overall spend at just over £5.1m.
That figure more than doubled when compared to 2025/26 - which currently stands at £11.1m but the full data has not yet been collected.
The 2023/24 financial year has seen the highest spend, with almost £14m used for agency workers.
The council say that the majority of the £50m spend was to cover vacant positions across the council.
Subsequently, the council underspent on its staffing budget - with some roles also funded through external grants.
Wendy Popplewell, executive director for core services, told the Chronicle: “Recruitment to frontline roles, particularly within social care, continues to be a major challenge both locally and across the country.
“These positions play a vital role in supporting and safeguarding vulnerable children and adults in our borough.
“Where we are not able to recruit permanent staff quickly enough, we use agency workers to ensure services remain safe and effective.
“Agency staff are often needed when we cannot fill all critical frontline posts or attract individuals with the specific skills required to deliver essential services.
“They are also used to support short-term activity funded through external grants. In these cases, bringing in temporary staff can be a more flexible and cost-effective option, helping us avoid creating ongoing financial commitments for the council.
“In 2023/2024, demand for children’s services increased, partly due to the impact of Covid, alongside a significant Ofsted inspection of children’s services which required additional resources.
“We have taken a number of steps to reduce our reliance on temporary workers, including focused recruitment campaigns, investing in developing our own workforce, and offering a comprehensive benefits package to help retain staff.
“We remain committed to delivering high-quality services for the people of Barnsley, while ensuring value for money and long-term financial stability.”
