Kevin
Just for clarity, is the County Council the customer or are there other customers? Are you an employee or a contractor for the County Council?
Would it help to get somebody in to do some scoping? From what you say, delay is actually caused by scope creep and/or uncertainty of purpose. Those with this problem often do not realise they have it, your advice to get some professional scoping might well save a lot of pounds and help solve your issue.
Regards
JR
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
