by political editor Paul Francis

Agency social workers taken on by Kent County Council were re-employed -despite concerns they were considered to be below par, it has emerged.

KCC said a handful of agency workers were mistakenly taken back on again to work in social services despite the fact managers had determined they were under-performing.

They were re-recruited through Kent Top Temps - a KCC employment agency - and ended up working in different areas of the county.

Cllr Jenny Whittle, the Conservative cabinet member for specialist children's services, emphasised there was no question of vulnerable children being at risk and steps had been taken to ensure it would not happen again.

Opposition parties said the issue needed a proper investigation to see if the same problem was occurring in other directorates.

Social services has relied heavily on agency staff for several years as KCC, like many other councils, has faced a recruitment crisis.

In KCC's case, many more were taken on after a critical report by Ofsted found care of children at risk was inadequate.

Cllr Whittle said: "In all cases, district managers and senior staff must give rigourous feedback to Kent Top Temps so if somebody is not up to the job, they are not re-employed in another district.

"It involved a handful of agency staff and there was no suggestion children were at risk, but we must have good and oustanding social workers and if they do not cut the mustard, we should not be employing them."

She added: "Agency staff are in many cases worth their weight in gold and provide fresh thinking about the way we do things."

Opposition Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Trudy Dean said: "If this can happen in social services it can happen in any department and anywhere we have got temporary staff and there are a lot of them."

In January, KCC revealed it had spent more than £11m on temporary social workers to help turn round its failing children's services, of which £9.6m was on frontline staff and administrative employees.