Councillors Sushila Dhall and Larry Sanders strike a theatrical pose Thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money is to be spent on drama lessons to help combat 'stage fright' among councillors at key meetings and improve their posture and eye contact.

Oxfordshire County Council is paying tutors from the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada) £13,000 for a series of one-day drama courses for up to 50 councillors.

The London school, famous for producing Oscar-winning actors such as Sir Anthony Hopkins and Kenneth Branagh, promotes its workshops, which begin in October, as "role-play and theatre-based activities in realistic council scenarios". Lessons focus on beating nerves and improving posture.

All 50 councillors on five scrutiny committees are being invited to attend.

Some have criticised the idea as a waste of money, but council leaders insisted they would improve the communication skills of members.

Labour's Barbara Gatehouse, who represents Leys and Lye in Oxford, said: "If I wanted to be an actress I would have trained to be an actress, but I wanted to be a councillor.

"The money could be spent much better elsewhere. Our job is different to being an actress. If you don't believe what you're saying, you really don't need to be taught how to say it."

Each one-day class costs the council £2,250 plus VAT for 10 councillors to take part.

Oxford Green councillor Sushila Dhall said: "That amount of money ought to go on public services. Teaching councillors presentation skills isn't a public service."

Alan Armitage, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: "If this improved the precision of decision-making, this might be money well invested."

Wroxton Conservative councillor George Reynolds, chairman of the environment and economy scrutiny committee, said: "Any training is worthwhile. Even at my age I can learn new things. As it's on offer, I will go."

The first class on October 5 will teach councillors how to make a speech, while other sessions will help develop questioning skills.

The training is for members of scrutiny committees for children's services, community safety, corporate government finance, environment and economy, and health and community.

A council spokesman said: "Members need to communicate in a range of settings -- formal meetings, meetings with the public and with local organisations.

"The briefings will cover the fundamentals of communications and the skills essential to chairing and managing effective meetings.

"Our scrutiny committees will often have witnesses, so the sessions will also cover questioning skills.

"Rada in Business has been selected because of its particular experience, especially in the area of scrutiny. Many local authorities have already used them to good effect."

RADA in Business declined to comment.