DON’T WANT TO BE A PART OF IT..
Glasgow leaders U-turn on ‘junket’ plans after row over cash crisis
Cash-strapped Glasgow Council has pulled the plug on a £7000 “junket” to New York after an outcry.
The SNP-led authority, which is making cuts to services and jobs, will no longer be sending a team to Scotland Week. The council, led by Susan Aitken, is facing a £107million financial black hole over three years, which could mean axing 450 teaching posts.
But despite financial pressures, the council planned to send SNP councillor Richard Bell, who helped draw up the cuts, Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren and two officials to the Big Apple. The cost was estimated to be £1700 per head.
GMB union convener Chris Mitchell, said: “Never mind flying to another country, the councillors and officials must be on another planet if they think this is the right time time for a junket.
“At a time when vital frontline services are already on their knees and facing unprecedented cuts, every councillor and every official should be working to protect those services, not flying around the world, all expenses paid.”
Unison’s Mandy McDowall said: “We welcome this backtracking. It would be inappropriate for council representatives to spend public money on trips to New York while parents and our members are protesting against proposed budget cuts to education services. The council should now backtrack on its proposals to cut services to our children.”
George Redmond, Labour’s council leader, said: “I’m delighted that pressure from trade unions, the Glasgow Labour Group and Glaswegians across the city have forced the SNP to back down. They should focus on the day-to-day matters.”
An SNP source said: “Glasgow is ranked the second city outside London for planned investment this year. That hasn’t happened by accident. Instead, it is because of the meetings and engagements our councillors, officers and the wider Team Glasgow do to promote the city. “Under the SNP, almost 3000 new jobs have been created in the city from the USA, our most important market for inward investment.
“It is disappointing that a key opportunity to talk about our 850 celebrations, meet with potential investors to support our move to a net zero future and work with the wider city delegation on bringing jobs, investment and visitors to our city won’t be able to take place on this occasion.”