CONSULTANTS will be paid hundreds of thousands of pounds by cash-strapped Ceredigion council, even for some money-saving proposals that are not proceeded with.

The council’s deal with PricewaterhouseCooper is said to see the private company receive a percentage of the savings made from cost-cutting suggestions put forward.

However, it has emerged that PwC will be paid regardless of whether the authority proceeds with proposals if a council ‘programme board’ has accepted the recommendations.

That means that the council will have to pay PwC for recommendations such as privatising the county’s refuse collection service, despite it being ruled out by councillors, who accepted there is “no political will” to make the change.

The revelation has sparked an angry reaction. Cllr Elizabeth Evans said PwC will be paid around £380,000 for the technical services report after it was accepted by the programme board, but before it went to the relevant scrutiny committee, Cabinet or full council.

She also hit out at highways Cabinet member Alun Williams, who argued against the proposals despite presenting them personally to the programme board.

Cllr Evans said: “Did the programme board really think this was good governance? It has shown a complete lack of transparency and a disregard for the scrutiny process."

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