Time for council cutbacks - at the council!

Apr 6 2008 Elaine C. Smith

THERE'S a massive stooshie brewing over cuts to council services.

Bosses in Aberdeen say their hands are tied by the Government's decision to freeze council tax.

But maybe they should be looking a little closer to home as they wield the axe.

Almost all the people I know who work for councils complain about heads of department who do very little yet take home huge pay and pensions.

I've heard tales of highly-paid staff who clock in at 9am then sit with their bacon rolls and paper in the canteen till 11am.

That's followed by a two-hour lunch at 12 and clocking off at 4.

Nice work if you can get it.

Labour opponents of the SNP/ Lib-Dem council will snipe at them over the cuts - but surely years of over-spending when they were in charge is as much to blame.

The freeze in council tax was supported by the majority of Scots and particularly in Aberdeen, where it had risen by at least 70 per cent in the last 10 years.

By any reckoning that is far too much while too many people see the wastage in councils all around them.

Figures from one central Scotland council show that of the £31million they collect in council tax every year, £5million goes on staff sick pay - that's an average of three weeks off sick for every employee.

On top of all the holidays and other benefits that is too much.

So I'm all for a freeze that allows us all to catch our breath, look at where the money is going and let the public know their hard-earned cash is well spent.

In fact, councils should run a TV campaign telling everyone what they actually do.

I totally support the collection of council tax. All too often we forget our council taxes provide brilliant, much-needed services.

But we all need to see that our money is going to those people and those areas that need it most - and that means efficiencies at the top of the tree too.