More than £1m must be spent to fund temporary support following an "exodus" of staff at Nottingham City Council. The cash will be used to bandage wounds in the Labour-run council's finance department, but it is understood the staffing issues run deeper throughout various other sectors too.
Council documents reveal the authority has approved the additional gross cost of £1,186,000 to bridge the "skills, knowledge and capacity gaps" in its finances sector. The "serious" shortage of staff and expertise plagues a number of council operations.
At present the authority says it is unable to "provide competent financial advice and support" in relation to the "oversight and control of its wholly-owned companies and companies in which it has a stake". This is a "significant weakness" the council says, and temporary support is urgently required.
