Snowstorms and Equal Pay
COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) is the voice of local councils in Scotland - on everything from the weather to equal pay.
But it is also an incredibly old-fashioned, inward looking body - which takes itself far too seriously - and is hyper-sensitive to criticism.
Take the latest example whereby the Scottish Education Minister - Mike Russell - issues a mild rebuke to councils that operated a blanket policy of closing all schools - during the recent bad weather.
Instead of taking the side of the people - with a measured, considered response - COSLA effectively tells him to clear off and mind his own business - which is an odd thing to say to an Education Minister.
The point Mike Russell was making is rather simple - how come the council in Glasgow decided to close all of its schools - when they remained open in neighbouring East Renfrewshire?
Now East Renfrewshire council had the same kind of snow falling from the heavens and the terrain - if anything - is even more difficult to navigate in inclement weather than the rather more benign geography of Glasgow.
So what's the answer?
Glasgow's 'independent' schools remained open - leaving parents to decide whether the journey was safe for their children to make - instead of council bureaucrats.
Yet COSLA isn't interested in these contradictions - and takes the view that individual councils know best - even when they make completely different and directly opposite decisions from each other.
And that essential lack of leadership explains why COSLA is such an inward looking organisation - and why it fails to grasp the nettle on key issues - including equal pay.
But it is also an incredibly old-fashioned, inward looking body - which takes itself far too seriously - and is hyper-sensitive to criticism.
Take the latest example whereby the Scottish Education Minister - Mike Russell - issues a mild rebuke to councils that operated a blanket policy of closing all schools - during the recent bad weather.
Instead of taking the side of the people - with a measured, considered response - COSLA effectively tells him to clear off and mind his own business - which is an odd thing to say to an Education Minister.
The point Mike Russell was making is rather simple - how come the council in Glasgow decided to close all of its schools - when they remained open in neighbouring East Renfrewshire?
Now East Renfrewshire council had the same kind of snow falling from the heavens and the terrain - if anything - is even more difficult to navigate in inclement weather than the rather more benign geography of Glasgow.
So what's the answer?
Glasgow's 'independent' schools remained open - leaving parents to decide whether the journey was safe for their children to make - instead of council bureaucrats.
Yet COSLA isn't interested in these contradictions - and takes the view that individual councils know best - even when they make completely different and directly opposite decisions from each other.
And that essential lack of leadership explains why COSLA is such an inward looking organisation - and why it fails to grasp the nettle on key issues - including equal pay.
