Dishing Out Medals

The Sunday Herald ran an excellent article yesterday - written by Paul Hutcheon - which seemed to catch Glasgow City Council with its 'fingers in the cookie jar'.

Because it seems that until the Sunday Herald stepped in and started asking a some awkward questions - the council was about to spend £12,000 of public money - on 'gongs' for councillors.

According to the newspaper the medals were the responsibility of the Lord Provost's office - Labour's Bob Winter - but after the Sunday Herald's intervention the plan was pulled at the last minute.

So the good citizens of Glasgow have the Sunday Herald to thank for this outbreak of common sense - and the saving it will make to the public purse.

What puzzles me is why any of the 17 councillors involved thought it was a good idea in the first place - why didn't someone stand up long before now and say that it was a terrible waste of public money.

After all councillors are paid these days - they're not undertaking voluntary work - and many enjoy significant salaries in Glasgow.

So I think we can safely say there will be no more medal ceremonies in Glasgow - until we get to the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Council cancels 'crass' plan to award £700 gold medals to city's bailies

Glasgow Lord Provost Bob Winter has suffered a major embarrassment over a "crass" plan to give expensive gold medals to city councillors.

Up until Friday at one o'clock, the city council was ready to spend up to £12,000 to give its 17 bailies an award for their special "contribution" to civic life.

However, after the Sunday Herald learned of the proposal, council leader Gordon Matheson blocked the move.

In common with all councils, the administration in Glasgow has had to cut spending as a result of the UK's economic difficulties.

Since 2009, around £32.7 million has been spent on voluntary early retirement deals for nearly 2000 employees.

Other budgets have also been trimmed as the council faces up to the challenge of balancing its books.

A further £42m has to be cut in the next financial year, 2012-13, some of which may come from not replacing departing staff.

However, despite the radical savings exercise, the local authority has still found enough money to fund medals for its senior politicians.

The council confirmed to this newspaper last week that bailies would benefit from the medals.

The medals were the responsibility of Winter's office and could have involved paying up to £750 per award.

A council spokesperson said on Thursday: "It has been the custom to issue bailies' medals in recognition of their extra contribution to civic life.

"This is a practice that was already established in the days of the Corporation of the City of Glasgow and that continued through Glasgow District Council to the current city council. The cost of the medals is dependent on the carat value and price of gold. All Bailies will be offered this token to mark their five-year term of office."

However, following a hastily-arranged telephone call between Matheson and Winter on Friday, the previous statement was ditched.

A revised spokesperson's quote stated: "After discussions between the Leader of the Council and the Lord Provost, it has been agreed that the tradition of awarding bailies' medals should be reviewed and there are no plans to buy new medals."

Bailies support Glasgow's lord provost in fulfilling various civic duties, such as attending functions and dinners.

The ceremonial role is unpaid but the bailies are allowed to make use of the authority's chauffeur car service for official events.

The last time the council bought medals for its bailies, at least 10 years ago, the medals cost £352 each.

The rising cost of gold means that the bill for medals in 2012 would likely have doubled since the last splurge.

Glasgow's bailies include Labour councillors Gerry Leonard, Jean McFadden, Liz Cameron and Hanzala Malik, who doubles up as a MSP for the city. Other post-holders include the SNP's Iris Gibson and Phil Greene and Liberal Democrat Margot Clark.

The row has echoes of the Scottish Parliament's decision in 1999 to give medals to MSPs.