Case Study: Harborough District Council & Vanilla Recruitment
Harborough District Council serves a vibrant and diverse rural community across south Leicestershire. From recycling and waste collection to planning, licensing, and environmental health, their work touches every corner of local life. They also deliver a range of commercial services, including building control, trade waste, and lifeline support. Headquartered in the heart of Market Harborough, the council is home to dedicated teams in finance, HR, sales, marketing, communications, and customer service.
While their in-house HR team manages core recruitment, the council turns to Vanilla Recruitment for fast, flexible support with temporary staffing. Deb Blake, Customer Service Team Leader, explains: “With the nature of our assignments, we need people quickly – sometimes the same day. Being able to trust Vanilla’s judgement with candidates is so important in helping to protect our service levels as a council.”
Challenges
With the nature of the assignments, people are needed quickly, sometimes on the same day. What they were looking for from an agency partner was :
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- A quick response to requests
- Good, reliable candidates
- Someone who would really understand the requirements and turnaround times
Why Vanilla Recruitment?
Having had some less-than-ideal results from previous agencies, Deb turned to Vanilla following recommendations from colleagues. She needed a partner who was:
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- Quick to find candidates who can cover the full length of our assignments
- Always putting forward candidates that fit the brief
- Someone to rely on and trust their judgement completely
Solution & Approach
Vanilla Recruitment worked closely with HDC to fully understand the unique demands of their customer service team and the challenges of managing short- and medium-term staffing needs. By building a trusted relationship with Deb, the Customer Service Team Leader, our team became a reliable extension of their recruitment function.
We provided fast, efficient support by tapping into our strong pool of local temporary talent, ensuring every candidate was carefully matched to HDC’s requirements. As a result, Deb and her team could focus on delivering services without the disruptions caused by inconsistent agency support.
Conclusion
Our partnership with HDC showcases Vanilla Recruitment’s ability to deliver responsive, people-focused recruitment solutions that fit seamlessly into our clients’ operational needs. Whether you’re a local council or another organisation seeking dependable temporary staffing, we’re here to support you with care, speed, and professionalism.
Results & Impact
Since partnering with Vanilla Recruitment, HDC has experienced:
A responsive and reliable supply of temporary staff, often placed on the same day.
A consistent standard of candidate quality that reduces onboarding time and service disruption.
A trusted recruitment partner who understands the pressures, priorities, and expectations.
Some of the roles we have filled:
Electoral Services Assistant • Corporate Administrator • PA • Executive Assistant • Customer Service • Concierge
Tahnee sums it up best:
“The service I received is very personal and efficient. I would totally recommend Vanilla because of my experiences; the excellent temp service, personal contact and good, reliable candidates. ”