An interesting article today folks in the Inverness Courier (not online yet). It comes in the light of the Council's proposed education cuts. The article begins:
"Council chiefs have continued to spend £15,000 a day on consultants' fees despite the need for saving millions of pounds in their annual budget."
The article contains comment from a Council spokesperson, a union rep and John Finnie MSP.
In my capacity as a committee member, (for various committees), over the last 9 years, I have come to realize that there always seems to be money in the pot for consultants, surveys and statistics! But never money to actually do the work/event that has been a) consulted on b)surveyed about c) statistics gathered for. When querying this the answer is always : we have to follow guidelines/procedures. Full stop!!
ReplyDeleteThere is no reason why Highland Council should be spending any money at all on consultants. They already employ a very large number of well-paid managers and directors.
ReplyDeleteThe hiring of consultants is an indication of managerial incompetence. If those managers and directors cannot themselves analyse the problems, develop policies, and identify solutions, then they are not doing the work for which they are being paid. The answer is to fire them and employ replacements who can do the job.....not pay even more money to consultants.
After all, "Consultants are people who are paid a large fee to tell clients what they already know".
Consultants are in effect insurance. If and when a project goes wrong/late/over budget etc a finger of blame can be pointed at said consultant. 'No my fault, it was the consultant'. Cut out consultants and folk would have to do their well paid jobs, whatever next?!
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