A BROMSGROVE councillor has called for the leader of the district council to resign after, she said, the authority spent almost £1million of taxpayers’ money on consultancy fees.
Coun Christine McDonald said she was ‘shocked and horrified’ by the figures, which showed the council has ‘not only lost control of its finances’ but ‘cannot manage its own affairs without the help of consultants.’
She added: “This is a staggering amount when you consider the total for the council is just over £11million.
“No wonder the council is in such a state when it throws away a million pounds on consultants which should be spent on vital services.”
“The leader of the council should now consider resigning and handing over to someone who can manage without spending such a staggering amount on consultants and improve services instead.”
Leader of the council, Margaret Sherrey said: “Just as private businesses would call on the expertise of specialist advisers, this council does as well to ensure we manage our affairs appropriately.
“If we did not then rectifying such situations could cost us more further down the road.
“This figure, which is over two years, also includes the cost of temporary staff which, like any other business is a cost the council has to incur to deliver services effectively.”
