Nottinghamshire County Council has signed an agreement with the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) to investigate rogue gangmasters and deal with the community issues they create.

The Council and the GLA will work together to identify potential abuse of vulnerable workers, often migrant workers, in agriculture and the food and drink processing and packaging industries.

Council staff working in these areas and receiving complaints from residents about will share information with the GLA so that gangmaster-related issues can be investigated.

Paul Whitehouse, chairman of the GLA, says: “This initiative is common sense. Nottinghamshire County Council want to resolve community problems and the GLA needs information about exploited workers.

“Councils have significant front-line contact with migrant workers, whether though Trading Standards activity, licensing of Houses of Multiple Occupation or emergency welfare support. Working together we can tackle exploitation and resolve problematic issues within the community.”