Why Does Ayrshire Need 3 Councils?
As the country comes to terms with our massive national debt - no one is arguing about the need to bring public spending under control.
The argument is about how far and fast to move.
Even the Labour Party agrees that two thirds of the spending cuts planned by the coalition government - would have been made if Labour had returned to power.
But now that Labour is in opposition - the party is trying to have its cake and eat it at the same time.
At least while the Labour leadership contest is underway - which is the nature of modern politics, sadly.
Yet there are obvious things that can be done to spend public money more wisely - the Accounts Commission in Scotland, for example, is asking:
Do we really need 32 councils in Scotland - with all the duplication and bureaucracy this involves - because councils employ more senior officials than is really necessary?
What is so special about Ayrshire for example - which has three separate councils for goodness sake.
North, East and South Ayrshire - all of them combined still much smaller than Glasgow.
What a complete waste of money and resources.
When you consider that all the three councils need their own chief executives - and highly paid directors of this that and the next thing.
In times like these - money should be concentrated where it belongs - on front line services.
The argument is about how far and fast to move.
Even the Labour Party agrees that two thirds of the spending cuts planned by the coalition government - would have been made if Labour had returned to power.
But now that Labour is in opposition - the party is trying to have its cake and eat it at the same time.
At least while the Labour leadership contest is underway - which is the nature of modern politics, sadly.
Yet there are obvious things that can be done to spend public money more wisely - the Accounts Commission in Scotland, for example, is asking:
Do we really need 32 councils in Scotland - with all the duplication and bureaucracy this involves - because councils employ more senior officials than is really necessary?
What is so special about Ayrshire for example - which has three separate councils for goodness sake.
North, East and South Ayrshire - all of them combined still much smaller than Glasgow.
What a complete waste of money and resources.
When you consider that all the three councils need their own chief executives - and highly paid directors of this that and the next thing.
In times like these - money should be concentrated where it belongs - on front line services.
