Councils are stepping in to grab the best talent as it comes available from firms going under in the credit crunch. Harrow LBC contacted the HR wings of investment bank Lehman Bros and the Halifax with a view to recruiting specialised staff for IT, benefits and legal services. Cllr Paul Osborn, Harrow's portfolio holder for corporate services, said: ‘Many City workers may now, through circumstances not of their making, be looking to switch career. There are exciting career opportunities to be had in local government. We have been forced to use expensive agency staff, but we would now like to recruit people on staff. But Lambeth LBC is dealing with the other side of the crunch and has launched a new taskforce to help residents deal with the downturn by advising on mortgage deposits, social housing and employment and training. It came as Leeds City Region Partnership said it was well placed to cope with the merger of HBOS and Lloyds TSB. Partnership chair, Cllr Robert Light said, ‘Any restructuring of merged operations would impact on Halifax town and the wider region. ‘However, as the Leeds city region is home to the largest financial and business services sector outside London, the area offers great assets to the newly-structured bank.'