But Tewkesbury Borough Council, which prosecuted the case, said Howells had dishonestly misled councils knowing he would not have been appointed if they knew he planned to retain full-time employment elsewhere.
He was convicted in July of six counts of fraud by false representation and three counts of fraud by failing to disclose information.
Sentencing him, Judge Gibbney said: “It’s clear that when you did work, the work was good. You are an experienced man in your profession. You are a man with a passion for your job.
“You took the view this was an opportunity to make hay while the sun shined and you could earn significant sums of money doing work for local authorities confident in the knowledge they weren’t as diligent in establishing you were doing all that was set you.”
The judge rejected Howells’ claim that the councils had not suffered loss, telling him: “You did not do in any given week, three lots or four lots of 37 hours.”
Judge Gibbney added: “You have effectively put your head in the sand as far as this is concerned when it comes to accepting your actions were dishonest.”