Hammersmith and Fulham Council have brought in accountants Deloitte to tighten procedures for using consultants. This include implementing a central register. Cllr Greg Smith is interviewed about it on the BBC Politics Show (34 minutes in.)
Astonishing hypocrisy from the Labour group leader and former Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Stephen Cowan in a Politics Show programme last Sunday about the use of consultants. When Labour was running the council nobody had a clue how many consultants were being used.
"We are the ones who have got a grip," said Cllr Greg Smith.
A BBC report turned out to be classifying music teachers and freelance photographers as "consultants." Spending on consultants has been reduced and even using this broad definition out of a billion pound budget there is £1.3 million spending on consultants. Spending on consultants can sometime represent value for money. One consultant alone provided savings of £6 million a year in running costs H&F Homes making possible the second lowest charges for Council leaseholders in the whole of London.
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