A SENIOR Wirral politician has stepped into a row over the appointment of two consultants at the staggering combined cost of more than £1,700 per day.

The Globe exclusively revealed earlier this week that the cash-strapped authority has hired the pair to oversee "public affairs and communications" the other "budget planning"

They have been given temporary short-term contracts on a daily rate of £850 and £903 respectively - more than £100 per hour.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Phil Gilchrist is "amazed" by the costs and is writing to the chief executive for an explanation.

He said: “I had to read this latest news twice to take in the revelation that this is the daily rate.

“I will be asking for an explanation just how ‘temporary’ these appointments will turn out to be.

“Wirral Council is returning to its old, discredited ways of working.

“The gradual return of secrecy, the delays in answers to questions - it all adds up.

”The council was supposed to be ridding itself of costly consultants.

“It’s amazing Wirral finds money for consultants when it suits; like the consultant who told them Lyndale School should be closed - that was £10,000 gone in fees just like that."

Unison, the public sector trade union, said it is "totally dismayed" by the extraordinary sums the pair are being paid.

Branch secretary Paddy Cleary said: "At a time when our members are expected to take a drop in pay for similar roles and others have the threat of redundancy hanging over their heads, we find the costings a disgrace.

"The tax-paying public of Wirral will once again be up in arms.

"The belief under the previous regime was that the three strategic directors had been employed to curtail the need for consultants on specified projects.

"This again is a kick in the teeth for our hard-working members and the public of Wirral."

A town hall spokesman said: "Earlier this year the council agreed its ambitious first five-year plan 'A 2020 Vision for Wirral.'

"This will be delivered within the reducing resources available to us.

"The interim support is exactly that: interim - a short, sharp injection of capacity will ensure that the council makes changes at pace.

"The cost will be met from the balances we set aside in the council’s budget for this programme."