Provost under pressure over £8,000 claim for clothes
● Expenses show Eva Bolander spent more than £8,000 in her first two years
The Lord Provost of Glasgow faces calls to resign and pay back thousands of pounds’ worth of expenses she has claimed, after it emerged she spent more than £8,000 of public money on clothing and beauty products in two years.
Eva Bolander’s expenses included 23 pairs of shoes, six jackets, five coats, underwear, haircuts and nail treatments since being elected to the post in 2017.
The revelations come as Glasgow City Council battles to make cuts of £40 million, raising council tax, reducing bin collections and making council staff redundant. It is also facing legal action after being accused of denying accommodation to the homeless.
The Lord Provost of Glasgow faces calls to resign and pay back thousands of pounds’ worth of expenses she has claimed.
Opposition politicians lined up to criticise the city’s ceremonial leader after it emerged she spent more than £8,000 of public money on clothing and beauty products in two years.
Evabolanderbought23pairs of shoes, six jackets, five coats, underwear, haircuts and nail treatments since being elected to the post in 2017.
The SNP councillor also reportedly spent £500 in one shopping trip to John Lewis, a spree which was denounced as being “far more than a worker on national minimum wage earns in a week”.
The revelations come as Glasgow City Council battles to make cuts of £40 million across all services, raising council tax, reducing bin collections and making council staff redundant. It is also facing legal action after being accused of illegally denying temporary accommodation to the homeless.
Between May 2017 and August 2019, it is reported Ms Bolander claimed £1,150 for 23 pairs of shoes, £665 for five coats, up to £374 for six jackets and nearly £415 for eight pairs of trousers.
The taxpayer was also charged £389 for two sets of Harris Tweed fabric and £992 for 14 dresses, £435 for seven blazers, £143 for four skirts and unidentifiable items cost £824.
Her predecessor, Sadie Docherty, made no charge on the public purse between May 2015 and May 2017 but she has claimed for more than 150 items totalling £8,224.
Scottish Labour MSP James Kelly, who represents Glasgow on the regional list, said: “While services for homeless people across Glasgow are being cut, the SNP Lord Provost has been touring the city in a grotesque spending spree at the taxpayers’ expense.
“Injustonetriptojohnlewis she spent far more on herself than what a worker being paid the national minimum wage earns in a whole week. Eva Bolander should pay back the money and resign.”
Annie Wells, who represents Glasgowasascottishconservative list MSP, added: “For any politician to think they can claim something like this on expenses is a joke. These revelations show a pattern of behaviour which will be completely unacceptable to council tax payers in Glasgow.
“She must now do the right thing and stand down – there’s simply no way she can continue in this senior role after these reports. She also owes the people of Glasgow an almighty apology.”
However, she was defended by Glasgow council leader Susan Aikman, who said there was always an “additional cost to being civic leader”.
A council spokesman said: “The national committee that oversees councillors’ pay recognises that the requirement to represent their city at hundreds of events means Lord Provosts often incur personal expenses.
“For that reason, the Scottish Government allocates a civic allowance to each. For Glasgow this is subject to a yearly maximum of £5,000.”