Council and democracy

Four swap sun and sand in Oz for a contract in Croydon

The new recruits, signed up on two-year contracts, are expected to arrive in the borough later this summer.

After social workers, planning staff are the second most 'hard-to-fill' occupation for local councils and Croydon has been struggling for several years to maintain a full team. Traditional advertising channels have proved ineffective and the constant engagement of temporary staff has been both inefficient and expensive.

Having researched options the council decided on the pioneering step of undertaking a recruitment drive down under where planning staff have the kind of skills that can easily transfer to the English workplace.

The exercise, mounted in conjunction with an international recruitment consultancy, involved two officers flying out to Australia in May to conduct a sequence of interviews. 

The success of the initiative, which has attracted considerable interest from other councils facing similar recruitment problems, means the cost of the process will be fully covered in the first year. This includes one-way flights to England, a location payment, work permits and visa processing. If the council also offers positions to two reserve candidates, then overall it expects to save £85,000 a year through recruiting Australian staff on contracts rather than continue with the expense and inconvenience of taking on temporary help.

Said cabinet member for planning, Councillor Jason Perry: "The recruitment of planning and transportation staff has been an enduring problem for several years. The cost of constant, ineffective advertising and the expense of finding and engaging temporary staff is extremely high. Therefore, the option of international recruitment, although expensive in the short term, was something we felt obliged to try. It's an innovative approach for the planning profession and I am delighted it appears to have paid off."

Although the council considers its experience in recruiting staff from the other side of the world may result in it being recognised as a centre of excellence, it is actively pursuing other ways of developing its own planning staff. These include schemes for apprentice and graduate placements as part of a wider process to help staff develop and secure professional qualifications. Market supplements are also used to help reduce turnover as experienced staff are lured away to private sector jobs.