Don't know anything about the case but a) the Council should be seeking independent advice to establish the facts on costs etc (and asking the developer to pay for it - but before you get your knickers twisted the developer pays, but the Council chooses, agrees scope and appoints!) and b) what the company is worth/paying its staff is entirely irrelevant in the big scheme of things, its based on the site itself and nothing else!
Technically yes, of course you are correct, ethically it's a pretty good example of what is wrong in the way we organise these things.
Don't mind PaulD, he's just sour they built a housing estate in his front garden.
damn right! Although tbf as housing estates go, it could have been a lot worse.
