A council which complained it was not getting enough money from the Government is splashing out more than £20 million on consultants in a year.

West Sussex County Council is expected to spend the sum in the 12 months to April 2009.

The council said last week it had been given a raw deal in the latest Government grants.

It will receive a 1.75% rise, among the lowest percentage increases in the country, which equates to an overall fund of £97.3 million, a £1.7 million increase.

The authority also needs to find an extra £10 million to cover inflation in its £1.3 billion budget, £2 million for energy bills and £1.4 million to pay the Government’s landfill tax compared to last year. But in a report to its policy and resources committee it emerged more than £20 million is being spent on consultants.

The highest cost, at £15 million, is attributed to consultancy work on construction, including asbestos and electrical surveys, design consultancy and project management.

The council also spent £3 million on business consultancy, including outside help for West Sussex Economic Partnership.

A further £1 million is going on feasibility studies, such as the development of an environmental strategy for the council.

The information is in a report which sets out a new definition for consultants and demands officers seek three quotes or tenders for work costing more than £5,000.

Councillor Morwen Millson, Liberal Democrat opposition leader and member of the committee, said: “It does seem an awful lot of money and we need to know a bit more about where it is spent.

“The definition of what is a consultant is very unclear.

“I am not against the use of consultants in every case – the council has to buy in expertise when it is necessary – but the key is value for money.”

A council spokesman said: “The vast majority of the £20 million is for specialist services – quantity surveyors, architects, engineers and IT specialists – where largely because of the uneven nature of the need for these specialisms we choose not to employ these skills as that would be wasteful and not good value for money.

“Ultimately, all this expenditure is helping to provide better services for residents.

“Some of the amount in the report has been spent in connection with the county council’s fundamental service review, which is reshaping the way we deliver services to ensure they are efficient and cost effective.

“So far this review has led to savings of £30 million year on year, which is being used to maintain and improve services. This has been achieved in return for a one-off payment to consultants.”