Where Has All The Money Gone?
The papers were full of headlines about spending cuts in Glasgow - earlier this week.
Local politicians traded insults about who should take the blame - Holyrood v Westminster - the last Labour government or the new coalition government.
The trade unions got involved as well - with their usual one-sided pro-Labour stance - while issuing the same old dire warnings about possible strike action.
So far, so predictable - but the real question people should be asking is: "Where has all the money gone?"
Because in the decade from 1997 to 2007 - council budgets, including Glasgow's, actually doubled in size - as did the budget of the Holyrood Parliament.
So where have all these extra funds gone - and what have they achieved?
I can't say myself that I've seen any major improvements in the more visible public services - like refuse collection or roads maintenance - for example.
The talk in Glasgow is about cutting back on the pay and conditions of of front-line workers - but why should that be necessary and how can it be fair?
Especially as no one understands the big picture - about how all this extra money has been used over the past ten years - certainly not on equal pay that's for sure.
The answer to the council spending squeeze is not to attack the pay and conditions of already low paid workers - but to examine what spending and services are really necessary.
For example, which areas of council spending have seen the biggest increases over the last ten years?
Another good question would be: "How much money has gone on generous pension packages for already well paid council officials?"
So let's hope the press and media start to ask Glasgow - and other councils - some more serious, probing questions.
Local politicians traded insults about who should take the blame - Holyrood v Westminster - the last Labour government or the new coalition government.
The trade unions got involved as well - with their usual one-sided pro-Labour stance - while issuing the same old dire warnings about possible strike action.
So far, so predictable - but the real question people should be asking is: "Where has all the money gone?"
Because in the decade from 1997 to 2007 - council budgets, including Glasgow's, actually doubled in size - as did the budget of the Holyrood Parliament.
So where have all these extra funds gone - and what have they achieved?
I can't say myself that I've seen any major improvements in the more visible public services - like refuse collection or roads maintenance - for example.
The talk in Glasgow is about cutting back on the pay and conditions of of front-line workers - but why should that be necessary and how can it be fair?
Especially as no one understands the big picture - about how all this extra money has been used over the past ten years - certainly not on equal pay that's for sure.
The answer to the council spending squeeze is not to attack the pay and conditions of already low paid workers - but to examine what spending and services are really necessary.
For example, which areas of council spending have seen the biggest increases over the last ten years?
Another good question would be: "How much money has gone on generous pension packages for already well paid council officials?"
So let's hope the press and media start to ask Glasgow - and other councils - some more serious, probing questions.
