Day off for coronation could cost council £60k

Marking HM The King’s coronation as a public holiday could cost cashstrapped Stirling Council up to £60,000.

King Charles III is set to be crowned on Saturday May 6 and the following Monday will be a bank holiday to mark the historic occasion.

Stirling Council officials are recommending that staff be awarded one additional day’s annual leave on the grounds of it being “the most cost effective option”.

In a report being discussed at a special meeting of the council on Thursday afternoon, as the Observer went to press, the officers added: “If the council chooses not to mark the occasion and to retain Monday May 8 as a normal working day, there would be no financial costs.

“Should the council choose to grant this as an additional day of annual leave there would be a loss of productivity as a consequence of lost working hours.

“Should the council determine to observe May 8 as an additional public holiday, this would incur an additional, unbudgeted cost for the council of up to £60,000, attributable to the enhanced pay rates a public holiday attracts.

“There is no statutory or contractual entitlement for employees to be granted time off for this occasion, and recognition is at the discretion of the employer.

“Awarding either an additional day of annual leave or observing as an additional public holiday would result in a reduction of teaching days from 190 to 189. In these circumstances, permission would require to be sought from Scottish Government for an additional day’s closure in schools.”