RE your story about councils being attacked as “bonkers” (Echo, Oct 18) for paying thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ hard-earned money to consultants to advise on identifying budget cuts.

They most certainly are “bonkers”.

Why was this waste of valuable money necessary in the first place when ordinary common sense could have prevailed while councillors were trying to make important cost-cutting decisions which were going to affect everybody?

I always thought we had experts in different positions on our councils, instead of calling in these so-called consultants, to help in decision-making.

Roland Bramham, Richmond, North Yorkshire.