True or False?

True or False?

Elected politicians run local councils in Scotland - the buck stops with them not council officials - no matter how senior or well paid.

Well the answer is True - of course.

Although that doesn't stop the elected councillors from taking a step back and trying to point the finger of blame at their officials when things go wrong - they're politicians after all. 

A number of readers have been in touch from North Lanarkshire - where the council is dragging its feet over equal pay.

But instead of taking responsibility the Council Leader - Councillor Jim McCabe - has been passing letters on to senior council officials to respond it seems - rather than answer people himself.

Which is exactly what happened in Edinburgh last year - see post below dated 11 December 2011. 

Seems like politicians have a habit of losing their voices when the going gets tough - my advice is not to be fobbed off  - and insist on a proper answer to your questions.

Lost Voice Project (December 11th 2012)

A regular reader from Edinburgh has been in touch - one of the people who have been putting elected councillors on the spot - over equal pay claims from former APT&C workers.

See previous post dated 9 December 2011.

Incredibly the reader says that an e-mail or letter to her councillor - has been passed to a senior council official to deal with - because it's not appropriate for an elected councillor to respond.

What a load of complete baloney.

I don't know who is responsible for putting out this nonsense - but it's elected councillors who are responsible for council policy - not senior officals and faceless bureaucrats.

Politicians in Edinburgh and elsewhere have opinions on everything under the sun when it suits them - everything from the price of mince to the final destination of Edinburgh's trams.

So they have no excuse for losing their voice - or trying trying to duck out of the way - when awkward questions are asked about equal pay.

Edinburgh City Council stands accused of trying to defend the indefensible - and the elected politicians who run the council have a duty to to explain what is being done - by senior officials - in their name.

Scotland's 32 local councils and all of its councillors are up for re-election next May - in May 2012.

I would name and shame any councillors who refuse to say where they stand on this important issue - saying they can't speak out or that their hands are tied is complete nonsense - who do they think they're kidding?

No one should put up with that pathetic excuse for an answer - so get writing - don't let them fob you off or brush you aside.

Tell your councillor what you really think - encourage friends and co-workers to do the same - then things will start to move.