Agency social workers are costing Luton Borough Council 'a fortune'

But the local authority says it is adding to its permanent staff quota as it responds to a dismal Ofsted inspection of children’s services in Luton.

The council’s scrutiny children’s services review group was told there are 64 agency social workers employed currently in the town.

The agency staff can give a week’s notice as they do not have an employment contract with the local authority.

Liberal Democrat Crawley councillor Terry Keens, who chairs the group, said: “It must be costing a fortune."

Corporate director children, families and education services Amanda Lewis said: “We have reviewed all of the cases Ofsted identified and the risks to those families and taken a particular approach, which managers found helpful.

“We immersed ourselves in the child’s journey through our system to see what we need to do differently."

A new case work officer in Luton has been chosen by the Department for Education (DfE), as well as an improvement adviser.

When asked if the case worker would be based in Luton, Ms Lewis replied that he would not.

She said: “No. His name is John Bostock and he is employed by the DfE.

“It is a link role to support the work between the improvement adviser and the DfE. It is not someone who would be working directly in Luton.”

Councillor Keens inquired: “What will the role actually do?”

She explained: “The role is to be a member of our children’s improvement board.

“It will be to provide the DfE with assurance about the local authority’s commitment in terms of resources and pace to deliver on the improvement plan.

“It will be to ensure we are doing all we should to put children and young people at the heart of everything we do, that we address the shortfalls identified and we build on our strengths.”

Fran Pearson, the independent chair of Luton Safeguarding Children’s Board, attempted to find an upside in Ofsted's highly critical report.

She said: “This has been a very close decision for Ofsted.

“They thought carefully about whether to make Luton inadequate. For organisations that are really failing, a lot more control is imposed.

“So Luton has got the ability to think about who we would like to work with, the partners to help us.

“Nothing’s happening here that’s untoward or that’s not happened anywhere else.

“It’s absolutely standard procedure and it’s not intended to trip us up. It’s meant to be helpful.”