Why Is Glasgow Being Told No?


Back in 2010 the Scottish Government put a scheme in place which allowed Scotland's councils to borrow more to meet the cost of equal pay claims - see posts below.

So why is a similar scheme not possible in 2022 and why is Glasgow being treated so differently? 

Meeting the Costs of Equal Pay(12/01/18)


I've had lots of emails in recent days asking how Glasgow City Council will be able to meet the cost of settling its outstanding equal pay claims.

MSPs, MPs, elected councillors and council officials have all asked me the same question, but the answer is really quite obvious.

Because several years ago the Scottish Government agreed that local councils could apply for additional 'borrowing consents' to meet the costs of financing their equal pay settlements.

And the post below from the blog site archive shows that in 2010 five Scottish councils applied to borrow an £20 million for this very purpose - and these were all were very small councils compared to Glasgow which is the largest local authority in Scotland, by a very long way. 

But always bear in mind all these equal pay claims represent 'lost income' to some of Glasgow's lowest paid council workers over the past 10 years and counting - including the cost of their pensions.

What's clear is that Glasgow's low paid women workers have not created the problem, so it would be monstrously stupid and unfair to suggest that they should somehow 'subsidise' a solution by accepting less than what they are due for everything they've lost over all these years.

I am going to submit a new FOI request to Scottish Ministers asking for an update on the 2010 figures, but it doesn't take a financial genius to work out that a 50 year bond agreed with Glasgow City Council would go a long way towards solving its problems over equal pay and its 'unfit for purpose' WPBR pay scheme.

  

Costs of Equal Pay (23/0814)

Here's a post from the blog site archive which explains the background to my recent Freedom of Information (FoI) request to Scottish Ministers about financial support for councils in relation to outstanding equal pay claims.

Because ask yourselves this question - "Why would a Scottish council borrow money from a commercial lender when the Scottish Government has put in place a scheme to help local councils meet the costs of settling their outstanding equal pay claims?"

Now I don't know the answer to that which is why I've submitted an FoI request to Scottish Ministers. 

Meeting the Costs of Equal Pay (17 May 2010)


As reported in last month several councils have applied to the Scottish Government for additional 'borrowing consents' - to help meet the back pay costs of settling their equal pay claims.

All of the councils involved have now been approached - to see if they are prepared to make renewed settlement offers - in the light of these new circumstances.

Any developments will be reported on the blog site - but readers are free to ask the same question of their local councillors and council leaders.

Contact details will be available on your own council's web site 

Meeting the Costs of Equal Pay (April 2010)

Several Scottish councils have asked the Scottish Government for permission to borrow extra funds - to help them meet the back pay costs of their outstanding equal pay claims.

Here's what they've been allocated by way of additional 'borrowing consents' from the Scottish Government

Clackmannanshire Council
£1,513,000

East Dunbartonshire Council
£2,786,000

Falkirk Council
£5,633,000

Midlothian Council 
£9,091,000

West Dunbartonshire Council 
£4,413,000

It seems fair to assume that having asked to borrow these additional funds - the councils involved should now get their fingers out and put firm proposals on the table.

And given that large sums of public money are involved - Action 4 Equality Scotland will ensure that there is a fair and just settlement of people's claims.

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