KENT County Council has defended its decision to spend more than £48,000 hiring a top advertising agency to advise it on how to improve its communications.

County Hall has brought in M&C Saatchi to conduct a wide-ranging review of its "external and internal communications". According to the council, the company's brief includes examining the "overall branding and messaging of KCC".

KCC leaders have dismissed opposition party criticism about the costs.

County council deputy leader Cllr Alex King (Con) said: "We are looking at how we can be more coherent in the way we present ourselves.

"Every organisation needs to look at its image from time to time and we are not spending significant sums of money re-branding the organisation.

"If it enables us to be more coherent in our approach to the way we communicate, then it will be a good investment.

"We are making sure we are fit for purpose. Kent is a brand name recognised around the world and how we manage that brand should be as important to us as any other organisation."

There is no question of ditching the historic Invicta horse logo but it is understood a slogan of "Kent First" could be adopted by KCC and other Kent organisations.

The county council has a £1.1million budget for corporate communications, which includes media relations, this year.

But opposition parties expressed disquiet over the review, saying the costs were too much when council taxpayers were facing cuts in key services this year.

Opposition Labour leader Cllr Mike Eddy said: "It strikes me as totally unnecessary. The county council seems obsessed with how it looks and I do not see why we should pay nearly £50,000 to an outside company for a review."

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Trudy Dean suspected the review was prompted by County Hall concerns that a poor rating for consultation and communications would adversely affect its standing in council league table.