Setting The Record Straight

I wrote last week about Tammany Hall Politics (see post dated 14 February 2013) and the rude behaviour of certain politicians towards SLARC - an independent body with the job of advising Scottish Ministers on the pay and expenses of local councillors.

Since then I had my attention drawn to a bizarre letter from the deputy leader of Perth & Kinross Council - Councillor Alan Grant - which appeared the in the Sunday Herald on 10 February 2013 and is reproduced below for information.

Now I don't know Councillor Grant personally, but if you ask me he's made a fool of himself - so I hope the Sunday Herald publishes my response to his ill-informed  comments. 

Because it seems to me that a providing an effective 'right of reply' is what the Leveson Inquiry into the behaviour of the press and media in the UK - was all about.

Which is that if people say ridiculous, empty headed things in the newspapers - then those on the receiving end ought to have the chance to reply - and set the record straight. 

     
Mark Irvine's letter to the Sunday Herald 

Dear Sir

SLARC

I refer to the letter from Councillor Alan Grant (10 February 2013) in which he voices his disagreement with SLARC being described as a 'respected body'.

I wrote to Councillor Grant to ask if he was the same councillor who, in responding to a SLARC questionnaire, in 2010 stated his support for 'backbench' or 'basic grade' councillors to be paid a salary of between £25,000 and £30,000, but I have not received a substantive reply, so far at least.My letter to Councillor Grant is reproduced below for information.

I wonder why?

In any event I am content to rely on the words of the Scottish Government's Finance Secretary (John Swinney) for a measured assessment of SLARC's contribution over the years, in particular the comments made in a letter to the Chair of the Committee in February 2012:

"Dear Ian

I am grateful for the time and commitment the Committee has put into delivering their remit since being established in 2005, and I appreciate the volume and quality of work that has been undertaken and produced. As a result of the committee's hard work fundamental changes have been made to the way in which councillors are remunerated and their expenses paid. In particular the salary arrangements introduced in May 2007 to replace the complex system that existed before that date.

The committee's efforts and determination have resulted in comprehensive recommendations being provided to Ministers to assist our decision making. Please pass on my thanks to committee members for their work over the last 7 years and in particular for their role in establishing the framework now in place for councillors' remuneration, allowances and expenses.

With all good wishes,

Yours aye

John Swinney"

I hope that Councillor Grant and others who have been rude and disrespectul towards SLARC might reflect upon their public comments - and consider whether an apology is now in order.

Kind regards



Mark Irvine


Mark Irvine's letter to Councillor Alan Grant

February 15, 2013

Dear Councillor Grant

SLARC

I refer to you letter in last week's Sunday Herald.

Can I just check that you are the same Councillor Grant who responded to SLARC on 25 February 2010 and stated (in your response to the SLARC questionnaire) that the basic salary of a councillor should be raised to between £25,000 and £30,000?

I enclose a the following extract of your letter for information:

"As you will have noted, I said that the box I had ticked was without regard to the current financial situation and the prognostications of doom currently being mooted. If the level were to be raised to between £25,000 and £30,000 the public outcry would be of immense proportions, for reasons I have stated and, no doubt, others."

If so, I have to say that I find your comments about SLARC somewhat disingenuous to say the least because you, like COSLA, were arguing for far higher salaries than SLARC was prepared to recommend.

I enclose a recent post from my blog site (www.action4equalityscotland.blogspot.com) which explains why I think that you and some of your SNP colleagues (former councillors as well, of course) are behaving in a terribly hypocritical manner.

I trust you will have no objection to me sharing this information more widely and with the Sunday Herald, in particular?

Kind regards



Mark Irvine

Councillor Alan Grant's letter to the Sunday Herald

Councils can do it without 'help'

Local Government Minister Derek Mackay has been criticised for effectively abolishing the Scottish Local Authorities Review Committee (SLARC) (Anger as council watchdog canned, News, February 3).

People quoted in the article describe the SLARC as a respected body. I do not agree with this appreciation.

I was present at a 2011 meeting of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, when the then president read out an SLARC recommendation about local authority allowances. Effectively, they were proposing that councillors should be awarded a 16% pay rise.

The response of delegates was an immediate and united rejection of the award. Indeed, we were all appalled that at a time when our staff were having a pay freeze anyone could make such a suggestion. In the light of that alone I am happy to see SLARC stood down until there is something material for the body to do.

Another article reports on a recommendation by former auditor general of Scotland Robert Black, for a "Treasury-type body to tackle wasteful spending and poor productivity in public services", which was rejected by the finance secretary John Swinney (Swinney: no to new finance watchdog, Business, February 3). I wholeheartedly agree with Mr Swinney's decision. I do not accept it is necessary to initiate, and pay for, another "inspectorate" for local government. We are already inspected up to our oxters. It is no part of any inspectorate's job to tell councils how they should spend money, rather than ensuring they have spent it responsibly and legally. It would effectively end local democratic responsibility for financial decisions and be a significant step towards abolishing local authorities.


Cllr Alan Grant

Deputy Leader

Perth and Kinross SNP Group