A row has broken out between Shropshire Council and union chiefs over a decision to spend cash on bringing in private consultants for workshops with staff.

The council spent £2,500 to hire Bristol-based consultants Halo Media to hold seven sessions at Shirehall. S

Shropshire Council leader Keith Barrow said the workshops were a useful way of gauging the views of staff.

He said the sessions were designed to create an environment where staff felt comfortable about speaking “openly and honestly”.

But the workshops today came under fire from Shropshire Unison, which branded them a waste of money at a time of belt-tightening.

Alan James, branch secretary for Unison, claimed at one of the workshops only four questions were asked.

They were:

• What is Shropshire Council?
• What does it do?
• How does it make you feel to work for them?
• If it was a person what kind of personality would it have?

Councillor Barrow said: “It is vital that we listen to our staff, who in many cases are also residents themselves.

“Our staff have told us that this is important to them. To create an open forum and an environment where staff feel comfortable to speak openly and honestly with us is essential.

“To do this we asked an independent facilitator to carry out a series of sessions with staff from all parts of the council. Staff were very forthcoming with their thoughts and views which I feel is a sign of how successful they were.

“We were made aware that a member of staff, who is a Unison representative, was not happy with the workshops. However, this feeling was absolutely not reflective of the wider feedback that we have received from staff. In my view, the workshops were a huge success.”

In a statement on Unison’s website, Mr James said: “You really can’t make this stuff up can you?

“When we are facing the most cruel and spiteful cuts ever, this wasteful administration is employing private companies to come and deliver this sort of guff.”

Mr James claimed random members of staff were picked to take part but had not received any feedback.

He said: “It’s a ridiculous waste of time and money.”

A Halo spokesman said it was unable to comment.