Agency launched to find temporary Wolverhampton Council staff despite plans to cut 2,000 jobs

Wolverhampton City Council believes it can save taxpayers £320,000 a year by finding its own temps for jobs including cleaners, caterers and lifeguards.

The savings come by cutting out agency fees and also mean the council can pay the so-called 'living wage' of £7.45 an hour, £1.19 more than the current legal minimum.

The living wage is considered the minimum someone needs to cover the basic cost of living.

Yoo Recruit has opened in Queen Square in the former Midland Box Office building, which the council owns, following a £12,000 refurbishment.

The council is planning to make 2,000 people redundant over the next five years as it tries to save £123 million due to Government funding cuts.

So far around 279 people are on the books of Yoo. They include 18-year-old David Mills, of Chesterton Road, Bushbury, who got a job cleaning at Bilston Market.

He is doing the work while he waits to join the Royal Engineer Corps in the summer. Mr Mills was at the official opening today and said: "I had struggled to find work after registering with about six private recruitment agencies, so I'm delighted."

Councillor Andrew Johnson, finance spokesman for the council's controlling Labour group, said it was hoped the agency would eventually be used to fill permanent posts, once the austerity measures end.

And he wants to see it offer its services to other councils and public sector bodies.

"The council has a lot of temporary positions that need to be filled at short notice in areas like catering and cleaning," he said.

"Before now we have used expensive private agencies who take a fee to find suitable people to fill the roles. We felt there was no point paying for something we could do ourselves. As well as offering the reassurance of working for a large, public sector employer, we also offer job-seekers a minimum wage of £7.45 an hour, regardless of age."

Three staff are currently working at Yoo.

The agency is also recruiting lifeguards for the council's Bert Williams Leisure Centre and Central Baths.

See www.yoorecruit.com for full details of job opportunities.