The Labour-controlled authority will splash £1,600 on personality tests for 20 councillors initially, with a view to rolling it out to all 120 councillors (suggesting a cost of almost £10,000). Conservative councillors have criticised the idea. Birmingham was one of the Labour councils which took part in the Liverpool-lead ‘cuts summit’ some months ago to complain they have no money left. Despite this, they have found thousands to spend on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator tests, which are based on theories by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung.
Commenting on the news, Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party Bob Neill MP said: "Birmingham’s taxpayers won’t put up with this. Birmingham was one of the Labour councils which took part in a leftwing ‘cuts summit’ some months ago, complaining they have no money left. But now it seems they have money to burn. If they roll this scheme out to all 120 local councillors, it would cost taxpayers almost £10,000. This is just the same old Labour Party: more spending, more waste, and it’s hardworking people who pay the price."
