Its nothing new Mac, officers have been pulling strings for years. I think your 6-9 months is incredibly optimistic. In central government the estimate is usually around 5 years.
The one thing council officers rarely are is business minded, the money isn't theirs, so much like the BBC they just see figures on a piece of paper. Only when councils realise they need people with a business head in positions of influence will we see an efficient council that serve the whole community not just the flavour of the month.