International aid could be implemented better and cheaper by town hall staff, local government leaders have claimed.
The Local Government Alliance for International Development – made up of the LGA, SOLACE and IDeA – has called on the Government to stop using expensive private sector consultants to carry out overseas work and place more trust in public servants to do the job.
Using Public Excellence Overseas also argues staff would benefit from spending short periods working in developing countries and helping out in emergency situations.
Deputy chairman of the LGA, Cllr Richard Kemp, said: ‘We have a ready-made army of civil servants with the skills and know-how to help people in other parts of the world.'
