COUNCIL leaders have defended reports that they spent £30,000 of taxpayer's money on top-flight head hunters only to give the post to one of their own officers, reports Beth Broomby.

Yesterday, Cumbria county councillors heard the authority had paid consultants to search, interview and fill the new post of deputy chief executive as part of a restructuring programme.

Senior officers and councillors refused to confirm or deny the amount - claiming it was confidential information - but they defended their decision to spend money on a professional recruitment firm.

Labour group councillor Alan Clark said he was disgusted that the leading Conservative/Liberal Democrat partnership had forked out more than £30,000 of public money to fill the post when a suitable candidate was right under their noses.

"I have no problem with the appointment of Mike Siegal (currently Director of Social Services) but this is not a decent use of money. It is not their money after all, it is public money," he said.

But council leader Rex Toft said employing head hunters was customary practice across the country throughout the private and public sector.

He said the authority had relied upon them to attract the cream of the crop for the crucial posts of deputy chief executive and corporate director of education filled by Assistant Director of Education at Durham County Council Victoria Ashfield.

"We needed a specialist in recruiting senior members of staff. They cold call suitable candidates and specialise in rigorous interviewing and psychometric testing. They provide a very specialist service for the money we pay."

CCC Chief Executive Louis Victory said: "They provided top-level advice and expertise we did not have. These people are leading the organisation, it is absolutely critical we get it right. By employing head hunters we ensured our post-holder was as good as, and better than, the best candidates."

May 23, 2003 09:00