Deputy condemns States for huge hike in consultant fees

A DEPUTY has been shocked to learn of an anticipated 33% increase within two years in States spending on consultants.

Mary Lowe, pictured, will ask departments to explain their spending plans during next week's Budget debate.

She is too late to place an amendment but still wants action taken after she calculated that consultant fees, which totalled £1,698,983 in 2007, are budgeted to be £2,551,000 next year.

'We've been told so many times in the States over the last year or two that we must stick to RPI or less, but consultant fees have gone up around 33%,' said Deputy Lowe, who sits on the Scrutiny Committee.

'How can we stand up and ask the public at large, plus the private sector, not to increase salaries above RPI because we're trying to keep inflation under control, but have a prime example of the States almost paying lip service to the public by presenting these consultant fees.'