Shocking £100,000 training bill at council

10.23.32am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 23rd Aug 2006

Cllr Andrew Sangar, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member for Finance

Sheffields Liberal Democrats have uncovered that the Labour Council recently agreed to spend a shocking £100,000 on training for just a handful of its senior managers. Labour bosses will spend £100,000 on 'project management' courses for just 24 of the council's most senior officers.

The deal will see the council have 32 two-day 'foundation project management courses' at £2,724 a time. Officers will also attend 15 half-day 'board level briefings' which will cost £830 each.

Despite the size of the investment and its controversial nature, Labour decided to take the decision behind closed doors via a 'Band A' delegation. The report which agreed to the new £100,000 spend was signed off by Cllr Steve Jones, Labour Finance Cabinet member.

This means that the decision was delegated to the relevant politician by officers and agreed to without coming before any public body for scrutiny from opposition councilors or members of the public.

Liberal Democrats are objecting to the huge bill for council taxpayers. They believe that the council's senior management are able to lead projects without the use of expensive training courses.

Lib Dems see the move as further evidence of the growing bureaucracy and waste under Labour in the Town Hall. They are calling on Labour to use investment for the people of Sheffields priorities, not the priorities of senior Town Hall staff.

Councillor Andrew Sangar, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member for Finance, said: -

"This huge taxpayer bill is further evidence of the growing culture of waste and bureaucracy within the Town Hall under Labour's control. There appears to be a blatant disregard for public money"

"There is no valid justification to spend £100,000 on 'project management' training for our most senior officers. Most of them are on salaries in excess of £60,000 and should be competent enough to project manage without these unnecessary expressive courses"

"Its time Labour grabbed hold of the reigns and started to govern for the people of Sheffield. They must realise that for every pound spent on waste and bureaucracy in the Town Hall, it is one less pound for essential council services such as gully cleaning, road repairs or prevention of anti-social behaviour"