Croydon Council spent £3m more than it budgeted for in the last 12 months, thanks in part to a reliance on agency staff, it has been revealed.

Community care packages and wages accounted for the bulk of the overspend, revealed in the authority's accounts this week.

The council spent £674,000 more than expected on staffing within its chidren in need services after it imposed a recruitment freeze, leaving gaps in its workforce. 

It was forced to plug the holes with expensive agency workers. 

The draft accounts, which cover from the beginning of April 2012 to the end of March this year, also reveal the council spend thousands more than budgeted on computers, IT software, mobile phone bills and printing.

The Children, Families and Learning department £26,000 over budget on IT and spent £67,000 more than expected on travel, mobile phone charges and printing. 

The accounts were published in the week Croydon Council confirmed it was axing ten school crossing patrols to save £60,000.

Among other major overspends were an unbudgeted £204,000 on cleaning and other costs at the borough's libraries

A surge in demand for temporary bed and breakfast accommodation left the council with a bill £313,000 higher than expected. 

An overestimation of parking charges income left the council more than £1m short.