TAXPAYERS' cash is being spent on coaching council staff on what clothes to wear and how to do their make-up.

Insiders at Kent County Council have said consultancy firm Q Learning is being used to give image advice to managers.

The council has already spent £74,183 on Q Learning's services since it first started using the Henley-on-Thames company in March.

One insider, who asked not to be named, said: "People have been told to wear bright colours and the women have been told to wear statement jewellery.

"They (the council) are spending money on personal vanity really."

Q Learning has been brought in to assess staff as the council axes 1,500 jobs over the next four years. Part of this project involves coaching paid officers on their public image.

It has not gone down well with pressure group The TaxPayers' Alliance.

Director Emma Boon said: "Taxpayers will think that the county council is not taking the need to make spending cuts very seriously, if it is spending tens of thousands of pounds on a firm who are, in part at least, acting as image consultants.

"It's wasteful and PR-obsessed spending like this that has to go first."

She added: "The county council shouldn't need to spend huge amounts of taxpayers' money on advisers to tell them which staff to keep. Senior staff on high salaries should be capable of making these tough decisions themselves."

Council managing director Katherine Kerswell has used Q Learning's services at other authorities she has led in the past.

The organisation was brought in by Northampton County Council when she was chief executive between 2007 and 2010.

It was here she cryptically described Northamptonshire as being "strawberry flavoured".

She had already called upon Q Learning's services when she was chief executive of Solihull Borough Council in 2005.

There is also a glowing comment attributed to Mrs Kerswell on Q Learning's website, in which she praises the company's "excellent recommendations".

Roger Gough, Kent County Council cabinet member for business strategy, performance and health reform, said: "KCC is undertaking major change, having to reduce budgets by 20 per cent (£165 million of savings in two years) as a result of national government cutbacks.

"We have streamlined the senior posts of the authority, having reduced the number of director posts, saving £700,000 per annum alone.

"Some directors have retired, some have stood down. We need to recruit excellent new individuals to the new vacant posts. These are key appointments to the authority."

Mr Gough added: "Q Learning has seen everyone to assess applicants prior to interviews by the all-party personnel committee.

"They have a strong track record of successfully delivering this type of service in both the private and public sectors.

"During the process, participants are given feedback from the assessors on their performance in exercises and their skills and abilities at influencing individuals and groups."

Mr Gough said this feedback sometimes includes a brief reference to how participants' personal presentation impacts on their ability to influence people.

Paul Carter, KCC leader and chairman of the personnel committee, said: "These assessments have been enormously valuable to the personnel committee in the assessment process and the candidates themselves have commented very positively about their experience and what they have gained from the process."