Recruitment of Agency Staff

Waivers were drafted for the recruitment of roles within Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) advertised for the post of Assistant Accountant; however, it did not produce the required result.

The Authority needed to move things along quickly, so Human Resources (HR) recommended Wade MacDonald as an option. They have done some other recruiting for the Authority, and how they could be used for this recruitment of 2 assistant accountants.

They were able to provide CVs and contacts for us that have resulted in a very rapid and successful appointment of the two Assistant Accountant positions. Wade MacDonald, as an agency, charges a fee for their work, and it is the price we need to pay to get the staff that the Authority needs.

An additional role of Procurement Assistant was added. This is after a previous Trainee left the organisation, so a replacement was required to handle the workload of Procurement.

This is to provide efficiency and time from advertising externally, and to use resources wisely by going with Wade MacDonald. Open recruitment for the Assistant Accountant posts was unsuccessful, showing limited effective competition in the current market.

HR therefore engaged Wade MacDonald, who has previously delivered suitable candidates. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) advertised for the post of Business Support Officer; however, the recruitment exercise did not deliver a suitable outcome.

Due to operational time pressures, the Authority needed to progress the appointment promptly, and Human Resources (HR) therefore recommended Wade MacDonald as a suitable option. Wade MacDonald has been used previously by the Authority to meet similar resourcing requirements within the Service.

As an employment agency, Wade MacDonald applies a charge for its services, which represents the cost of securing the required staff to meet the Authority's needs. The Authority needed an urgent Business Support Officer cover until a temporary post is advertised.

The emergency requirements for continuation of service are brought about by events that could not have reasonably been foreseen, following the departure of a previous officer. The Authority has approved two waivers with a cumulative waiver value of £28,875.12.