Taxpayers’ cash buys £ 1.4k bed for airport boss
The new boss of Prestwick Airport splashed out £ 1400 of taxpayers’ money on a bed.
The £ 120,000- a- year chief executive received a relocation package when he moved from Aberdeen.
Details under freedom of information show Ron Smith also got £ 230 towards a bedroom carpet and £ 789 for a dining suite.
The nationalised airport he runs have been handed almost £ 40million of public money.
Spending watchdogs Audit Scotland will launch a fresh probe into the airport – the second in three years – that will assess their performance since being bought by SNP ministers for £ 1 in 2013. Smith’s expenses claims also include nearly £ 3710 in legal fees for his new house.
Labour finance spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “With taxpayers’ money being spent on beds and tables, it is clear the SNP’s Government priorities are completely wrong.”
Prestwick’s latest accounts show a £ 9.21million loss in 2015- 16. SNP ministers have set aside £ 9.4million in loans for the nationalised airport for the year 2017- 18. This will take taxpayers’ loans to the airport to £ 40million. That is more than the £ 25million proposed for the airport.
Audit Scotland had said the extra £ 15million would be needed by 2021 – not 2018.
A spokeswoman said: “We intend to carry out further audit work on the airport’s financial performance as part of the Transport Scotland annual audit for 2016/ 17.
“The auditors will assess how Transport Scotland has addressed the recommendations contained in the 2015 report [ on Prestwick], and assess the potential impact of the revised business plan on the medium to long- term funding requirements for the airport and monitor the level and potential for repayment of loan funding support provided by Transport Scotland.”
A spokeswoman for the airport said: “It is standard practice for organisations to pay relocation costs if a successful candidate needs to move to the area. Glasgow Prestwick Airport’s search for a new chief executive extended across the UK. It was always anticipated relocation expenses may be incurred.