Taxpayers are set to fork out £18,000 for a consultancy firm's ideas about how Colchester's historic town centre should be managed.

It comes in the wake of £25,000 being paid to another firm tasked with "branding" Colchester to make it more attractive to visitors.

Now Town Centres Limited has been drafted in to look at new ways of running the town's historic heart following the demise of the Town Centre Management Company.

The fees being paid to consultancy firms have sparked consternation amongst councillors who fear public money might be being wasted.

But some members and council officers claim its often better and more cost effective to pay specialist firms than to place extra strain on inadequately resourced council staff.

It also means officer time can be focused on their core roles and work.

Town Centres Limited has been asked to find a range of options on how the town centre can be run in the wake of the Town Centre Management Company - an independent body of council, business and residents' representatives - which went into liquidation.

It will look at the feasibility of employing a new town centre manager, possibly with support staff, the idea of a council-business partnership and other ideas.

Feedback on the firm's findings is expected in November.

John Jowers, council portfolio holder for resources, said there was concern about how much money was being spent on consultancy firms.

He said: "When you have 1,100 staff there is the question why can't they do it? A lot of councillors were getting concerned about how much money is being spent on consultancies. It can appear to be a waste of money.

"My view is we should only use consultancies when absolutely necessary."

Mr Jowers (Con, West Mersea) said good examples were studies being carried out on the town's urban capacity and details about putting in a lock in the Hythe.

He said part of the problem was council members not fully trusting officers' advice and wanting more options than their experts come up with.

By Laurence Cawley

Reporter's e-mail: laurence_cawley@thisisessex.co.uk

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