NEWPORT City Council spent almost £200,000 on consultants to run its ‘Streetscene’ department over 15 months, the council’s Tory leader said.

The department is responsible for bin collection, graffiti, potholes, flytipping, streetlights and play grounds as well as other things related to the environment on the street - but the council has struggled to find a permanent staff member to lead it.

Between October 2014 and May 2015 a total of £82,925 was paid to a consultant to run Streetscene, with another £45,000 estimated between May 2015 and August 2015.

In total £199,225 has been paid for a fifteen month period to run a council department, David Fouweather said.

The leader of the opposition asked Gail Giles, cabinet member for people and business change, whether she thought this was a good use of council taxpayers’ money.

He said: ’Can she explain why she has allowed such a whopping amount to be paid out to consultants?’ Mr Fouweather added: ‘It seems that this labour authority are willing to pay over £200,000 once VAT has been added to a consultancy to run a council department. This comes at a time when council budgets are restricted due to Welsh Labour government cuts and the department which the consultancy is running is facing some the deepest cuts.

‘In my view this consultancy has not made any real improvements in Streetscene services and the money would have been better spent providing residents with better services.

Responding, cllr Giles said: “Recruitment of staff and the payment of agency fees is a responsibility of Senior management “You will be aware that there have been a number of attempts to recruit to the post but to date a suitable candidate has not been found. It has therefore been necessary to employ an interim consultant to ensure local tax payers continue to receive a well-managed and essential service. I understand the rate of agency pay is competitive.

“I have made it clear that my expectation is that the appointment of a suitable Head of Service is made at the earliest opportunity. Pay has been a contributory factor and this is something we may need to address.”