Councillors' Romantic Cruise Costs Workers £1M Payout

Feb 24 2008 By Billy Paterson

TWO love-struck councillors returned from a romantic cruise last week...to discover their passion had cost workers a £1million payout.

Red-faced Labour pair Gail Casey and Willie McLaughlin forgot about their council's biggest vote of the year as they headed off on their love boat to the Canary Islands.

They were supposed to join SSP and independent councillors to sink the ruling SNP group's budget - a deal that would have meant an extra £1million for staff pay.

But the pair's absence meant the SNP group who control West Dunbartonshire Council won the day.

SSP councillor Jim Bollan, who had agreed to back Labour's budget, was astounded that the couple, who married two years ago, had gone on holiday at such a crucial time.

He said: "It is unforgivable. The SNP have a group of nine who govern the council with myself and two independents who normally support them.

"However with our support, Labour's budget would have gone through and I suspect the SNP would have been bound to resign their administration.

"So this pair have cost the workers £1million and lost their party a chance to take control of the council."

Under the SNP cuts some council staff could see their wages slashed by between £5000 and £7000.

Independent councillor George Black, who had also agreed to back the Labour budget, said: "This beggars belief. The budget is on the same bloody day each year."

During the budget meeting the SNP's Ronnie McColl joked: "I got a postcard this morning saying: 'Wish you were here.' Maybe the whole Labour group should go on holiday."

But McLaughlin, who lives with Casey in Dalmuir, said: "We never sent any postcard. That's rubbish.

"We just got our dates mixed up. We thought the meeting was this week.

"I never really had much to do with budget policies because we never had many meetings about it."