CASH-strapped Bournemouth is spending a staggering £200,000 a year on a transport manager who should cost just £50,000.

At a time when services are under threat and council staff are being made redundant, the council is paying four times more than necessary for transportation services manager James Duncan.

As a senior management post, this job carries a fixed salary of £50,603, plus pension and National Insurance.

But Mr Duncan is employed through the agency Penna plc, which charged the council £206,014.65 for his services for the period January 29, 2008 to February 1, 2009.

Even when the 15 per cent VAT has been claimed back, the council is still paying out around £175,000.

It is not known how much money the agency passes on to Mr Duncan in salary.

Susie Squire, of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said it was a “disgraceful” waste of money. “We are in the grip of a recession and Bournemouth council should be doing all it can to deliver savings to taxpayers, not fritter away their money in this cavalier fashion,” she added.

Mr Duncan was recruited 14 months ago after Bournemouth council unsuccessfully advertised the post. He was appointed on an “interim basis” but is still there now, at a cost of more than £550 every day.

It’s believed he lives in Scotland and flies to Bournemouth every week to work for the council. He then flies back to Scotland every Friday.

Independent Cllr Ron Whittaker, who uncovered the agency deal through a freedom of information request, said he was furious to learn the news at a time when the council was reducing its staffing levels and was threatening to close the Hengistbury Head centre to save money.

He is calling on the council to either offer the job to Mr Duncan at the appropriate salary, re-advertise it, or renegotiate terms with the agency.

Mr Duncan told the Daily Echo he was aware of the freedom of information request but refused to comment further.

But Mike Holmes, service director for planning and transport, said: “This is a key role for the council and it is vital that we attract experienced staff who are able to innovate and lead.

“Since the interim appointment, we have again attempted to recruit at the current salary, but this has again failed to attract suitable candidates, and a review of the salary is currently underway.”

He also paid tribute to Mr Duncan’s achievements and the way he has improved the council’s performance, particularly through initiatives such as the camera car which is used to combat parking offences at schools and bus stops.