Eric Pickles tells councils to stop spending money on expensive leadership courses The advice was contained in a booklet, 50 Ways to Save, which features ideas from Mr Pickles on how to make deeper cuts without affecting public services, a newspaper reported. The 50 Ways to Save document said: "End expensive leadership courses. Councils could review spending money on sending staff and councillors to expensive 'leadership' training courses, such as Common Purpose. Such training courses can often run into tens of thousands of pounds. Councils were also encouraged to stop spending thousands translating documents into other languages or giving grants to "organisations which promote segregation or division in society." In addition, the booklet targeted "intrusive questionnaires" for suppliers and residents "about their sexuality, religion and other personal details." These were described as "simply not necessary" while local authorities were also told they did not need to spend time and money on "equality impact assessments." Mr Pickles also said that pay for senior staff should be cut, recruitment should be frozen, first-class travel banned and spending on outside consultants reduced.