The expenditure was revealed at a recent meeting of Norwich City Council where it was heard around £5.8m had been spent on freelance or agency workers in 2023/24.

The authority is facing huge financial pressures and has outlined £3.2m of savings and additional income it needs to make this year to balance the books.

While City Hall claims to have slashed its temporary workforce in the current financial year, councillors have raised fresh concerns about this use of tight-stretched funds.

Like many local authorities, Norwich City Council has contracts with temporary staffing agencies........

© Norwich Evening News