Expertise among Herefordshire Council's members of staff was augmented by the use of consultants who filled in "knowledge gaps" 75 times during the last year.
These consultants were brought in to help with specific initiatives ranging from the modernisation of services for people with learning difficulties to dealing with a disused landfill site.
The facts and figures of the council's use of consultants came under the spotlight when the council's strategic monitoring committee met on Monday this week, November 17.
The committee, along with the council's scrutiny committees, exist to challenge and be the "checks and balances" to decisions made by the council.
Its members investigate decisions and delve into the detail of operational matters to ensure residents are getting sound decisions and value for money.
The committees can then make recommendations which are considered by the senior decision-making councillors who form the council's cabinet.
On Monday this week, members of the Strategic Monitoring Committee heard that throughout the 2007-2008 financial year, the authority spent a total of £984,814 on using 75 consultants.
The report stated that while this represents just 0.3 per cent of the council's total expenditure, it would have cost far more to employ staff with the same level of expertise.
Members of the committee asked if consultant's advice was simply accepted. The council's director of resources, Sonia Rees, told members: "To ensure we get sound advice we do challenge the consultants.
She added: "We rely on consultants to bring in the expertise we need for specific tasks. The reasons for this include the need for specialist advice, the lack of in-house expertise or capacity and to externally validate our work," she added.
"The review concluded that appropriate procedures have been followed and that the use of consultants has given us value for money."