In 2013/14 Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s total expenditure £16.5m on agency and temporary staff. I would be the first to say that was too high. But since Labour have taken charge and issued a torrent of press releases about “austerity” it has risen by £600,000. In 2014/15 total expenditure £17.1m on agency and temporary staff.

Of course rising spending is part of the general pattern. The Council’s total “Net Operating Expenditure” on the General Fund spending was £201.6 million in 2013/14. It rose to £209 million in 2014/15. So for those who look at the facts, rather than the Council’s PR hyperbole, we can see not austerity but profligacy.

The extravagance and mismanagement in spending on agency and temporary workers indicates poor morale and a failure to retain staff. It is a recipe for poor service as well as high cost. I am assured that efforts our under way to scale back the cost for the current financial year. I hope so.