A SOMERSET council is to spend more than £3million on temporary staff over the next 18 months.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has been undergoing a transformation programme, changing the way in which it delivers services to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

The council previously approved funding for “temporary additional resources” – including staff – which would ensure service levels would be maintained while the new models were put in place.

But more money is now having to be found to ensure the process is finished.

The council admitted in December that temporary stuff would be “needed for a longer period”, with the cost needing to be met from the new homes bonus paid to the council by central government.

Fine details of the funding were published ahead of a meeting of the council’s executive in Taunton on Wednesday (January 22).

Under the proposals, £2.45million will be set aside for extra staffing costs in 2020/21, with a further £750,000 being provided in the following year – bringing the total to £3.2million.

Emily Collacott, the council’s finance business partner and deputy finance officer, said the additional funding was needed to “protect service standards and maintain capacity”, as well as ensuring the aims of the transformation programme were implemented.

She said in her written report: “The full council is requested to support a continuation of additional staff capacity for a longer period (12 to 18 months) to ensure services continue and standards are maintained during a longer transition period.

“A cost reduction is required in the future, as the change programme drives forward to deliver the service process efficiencies and demand management benefits anticipated.”

The temporary staffing will be funded through new homes bonus payments and the council’s retained business rates.

The budget proposals will be voted on by the full council on February 19.