Dudley Council paying temporary children's staff £800 per DAY

The authority, which has just unveiled a drastic cuts plan, has spent more than £200,000 on interim staff.

It employs 12 temporary workers in the department - at a daily cost ranging from £425 to £800.

The scale of the Labour-led authority's temporary staffing has been criticised by opposition parties.

New figures reveal a total of £204,000 will have been spent by the end of this month on part-time staff in children's services.

UKIP group leader Councillor Paul Brothwood said 'someone needs to be held to account' for the decision to employ so many interim workers.

The council was told to make improvements to its children's services within three to six months of a critical inspection by Ofsted in 2012.

Interim staff are helping the authority turn around the department, according to cabinet member Councillor Ian Cooper.

Councillor Brothwood said: "Someone needs to be held to account as to why Dudley Council needs to employ 12 part-time people to put the mess of our children's services right.

"Why on earth do we need to employ 12 expensive interim directors? We should have grown these in house."

Conservative group leader Councillor Patrick Harley described a 'catalogue of failure' at the council's children's services department at a meeting earlier this month.

In response, Councillor Cooper said: "What we're doing is getting expertise in of national providence, and getting it in quickly and efficiently to do a job.

"I'd ask UKIP what price they would pay for the safety, well-being and aspirations of the children in Dudley.

"We're very clear that those are our priorities.

"The interim staff have been brought in to do a job and they're delivering that job. This is about us making sure we're robust and resilient."

Deputy leader and cabinet member for human resources Councillor Judy Foster said: "There are currently 12 interim roles in children's services ranging from practice standards manager through to heads of service.

"There has been, and continues to be efforts to recruit permanent members of staff to these key positions, but as some of these roles are statutory roles which cannot remain vacant, they are being filled on a temporary basis.

"The costs for these interims are being covered by existing vacant posts, while others are new posts already identified.

"The council expects the net costs for these posts running up to end October this year to be £204,000.

"We are committed to achieving excellence and giving children the best possible care and opportunities to develop and it is therefore essential we find the right people for these roles."