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Cash-strapped council bosses believe they have come up with a new approach to fighting the credit crunch - by hiring a £100k anti-recession guru.

The taxpayer-funded position has been created by council bosses in a bid to 'protect people against the economic downturn'.
But the move has been met with criticism from taxpayer groups who have labelled the move as a waste of time and money.
Lancashire County Council bosses want to hire a £100k anti-recession guru to 'protect people against the economic downturn'
Bosses at Labour-run Lancashire County Council said the move was part of a wider scheme to boost investment in the county.
The successful applicant will be paid up to £93,180, plus a £5,300 car allowance and the council will spend thousands more advertising to recruit to the post.


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The new job was proposed by new chief executive Ged Fitzgerald when he took over in February.
But Conservative Councillor Geoff Driver said: 'Whilst I support enhancing the local economy, we are concerned in the current economic climate whether it needs a new post when we already have people doing the job.'

The news comes just months after it emerged Lancashire County Council had spent more than £100,000 on recruitment consultants in less than two years.
Neighbouring Blackburn with Darwen Council had agreed to award pay rises worth £20,000 to its bosses, including one pay rise of £9,000.

Lancashire County Council leader Hazel Harding said the economy must be protected, but Conservative Geoff Driver criticised the anti-recession guru idea

A report by the TaxPayers' Alliance last year claimed Lancashire County Council
already had six bosses earning more than £100,000, which is typical of a council of
its size.

Mark Wallace, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Will this new post be disposed of if the economy doesn't improve?

'It's a staggeringly high salary. If this cash can be trimmed from other budgets, it should be passed on through council tax cuts.
'With the recession biting hard, the last thing the local economy needs is a massive bill for a new council manager.'

The council's new appointment comes against the backdrop of a looming wage review that is expected to result in cuts to some salaries.
Lancashire County Council leader Hazel Harding insisted the costs would be met from existing funds so services would not be affected.
She said 'The economy is so major in everything we do, and we are not being as proactive as we could be and we have seen a gap in what we do.

'We want to improve the economy so there's less people on benefits - and we need someone with the right expertise.'


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