contingency staff
Merton Council has significantly reduced its spending on contingency staff in the first half of 2026.
Merton Council has significantly reduced its expenditure on contingency staff, who are employed on a temporary or as-needed basis, by nearly £1 million in the first six months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, a story reported in September 2026 said. The council spent £8.4 million on temporary staff between January and June 2026, down from £9.3 million in the first half of 2025.
This reduction is attributed to a multi-faceted strategy implemented by Merton Council to curb reliance on temporary staff, the September 2026 story reported. Merton Council has actively reduced its reliance on agency staffing across several service areas, including Admin & Clerical, Facilities & Environment Services, and Manual Labour.
Key facts
- Merton Council's spending on contingency and agency staff was £8.4 million between January and June 2026. Source
- Merton Council reduced its expenditure on agency workers by nearly £1 million in the first six months of 2026. Source
- Merton Council spent £9.3 million on contingency and agency staff in the first half of 2025. Source
- Merton Council implemented a multi-faceted strategy to curb reliance on temporary staff. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.