Cash-strapped Aberdeen City Council is set to hire a social work guru at a cost of £100,000. The crisis-hit authority, run by a Liberal Democrat-SNP coalition, is £27million in debt. It is holding talks about hiring a council troubleshooter to take emergency control of social work and health and care services in the city.

The temporary post will last for six months. During that time the Yorkshire-based consultant Philip Cotterill will be flown up to Aberdeen for three days each week.

The £100,000 package will include a weekly return flight from Birmingham to Aberdeen, other travel expenses, accommodation and the consultant's wages.

Barney Crockett, a Labour councillor, says the public should feel “rightly shocked, dismayed and furious” at the cost of the six-month appointment.

“I think that for any Aberdonian looking at the figures at the moment, they're sobering. It really does give us a shake. I think it's a reflection of the situation the city is in that we are having to contemplate such things.”

Mr Cotterill was made an OBE after running an award-winning social work department at Kirklees Council, in West Yorkshire, for 12 years.

His four-day week will consist of one day working from home and three days in Aberdeen.

The City Council has defended its decision, stating that Mr Cotterill has a “proven track record” and is the “best of the best”.

Officials said the fee - that works out at £1,042 a day - was a “competitive rate” for a professional of his experience.

The decision has been met with some criticism from opposition councillors who say the council chiefs should have thought more long-term.

Senior Labour councillor Gordon Graham, said: “The administration should forget about interim appointments and appoint a social work and housing director, not a consultant, and save the tax-payers' money.”

Barney Crocket admitted that there were few other options left for the crippled council. He said: “It is a desperate position and I suspect they are under very strong pressure from ministers in the wake of the damning social work report.

“The survival of our city depends on this decision and some others yet to come.”

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