On Monday 23rd August Luton’s Labour Council agreed to appoint another two managers at a total annual cost to Council tax payers of £120,000. The fancy titles given to the two new posts will be ‘Service Commissioning Programme Manager’ and a report to the Council’s Executive says if the posts cannot be recruited by redeployment the cost will be £120,000 a year.

“That’s nonsense,” says Liberal Democrat Cllr Martin Pantling. “Whether they are recruited internally or externally the cost will be the same. If people who would otherwise be removed from the payroll are recruited to these posts that is still a net increase of two managers and will still cost £120,000.”

“This is on top of half a dozen ‘Excellence’ posts of questionable value, a recently appointed Assistant Chief Executive and a Performance supremo earning over £100,000 a year who couldn’t stop Luton being rated a mediocre two-star Council.”

“We just wish this Labour Council would put as much energy into delivering quality services to residents as it does to hiring highly paid managers.”

“With Council finances in a dire state, with support for children and elderly adults under threat, now is not the time to lumber Council Tax payers with a bill for £120,000 to recruit yet another two senior managers.”