WHAT??
Completely unacceptable!
Small councils and towns like this don't have problems that need big city commercial level salaries and payments. It's corruption and embezzlement, plain and simple, and whoever is responsible should be sacked, investigated and jailed.
Paying normal (local) prices for these so-called consultants would leave essential council services like those mentioned to be cut intact. These services, which usually amount to no more than a few thousand a year for small towns, are necessary and the local people who depend on them should not be made to suffer to enrich a corrupt few who are abusing their positions in local government.