What The Papers Say (3)
Council’s £200,000 secrecy battle on equal pay
Legal battle ... South Lanarkshire Council HQ
Town hall chief Eddie McAvoy faced calls to quit last night after the cash-strapped authority was slapped down by the UK’s highest court.
His South Lanarkshire council wrongly spent three years withholding staff salary scales from activist Mark Irvine, five judges ruled.
Last night Mr Irvine, who campaigns for Action 4 Equality Scotland, said: “If Eddie McAvoy has any dignity, he should resign — he’s presided over the total mess the council has made of equal pay and is responsible for this terrible waste of public money.”
The Labour-led council tried to bury data amid a legal battle by 3,000 women to find out if they were paid less than men doing similar jobs. The authority refused to reveal details of salaries in response to a freedom of information request by Mr Irvine in 2010.
The Scottish Information Commissioner and the Court of Session ordered the figures to be released — but the council snubbed the rulings.
Stubborn Mr McAvoy, 72, who has led the council since 1999, was urged to give up the battle as it was racking up a huge legal bill.
But he dug his heels in, and South Lanarkshire became the first public body in Scotland to appeal an FoI ruling all the way to the UK Supreme Court.
However, the council’s arguments that releasing the stats would breach Data Protection laws were booted out in a written judgement released yesterday.
Judge Lady Hale — who delivered the ruling on behalf of the panel of beaks — said revealing the pay scales would NOT enable anyone to discover workers’ identities.
She said: “It is difficult to see why there’s interference with their right to respect for their private lives.”
Mr Irvine last night hailed a victory for “justice and common sense” and slammed the waste of around £200,000 on the legal action.
Full costs to taxpayers haven’t yet been finalised but will include bumper paydays for both sides’ QCs. Mr McAvoy and the council said they were “disappointed” at the outcome.
His South Lanarkshire council wrongly spent three years withholding staff salary scales from activist Mark Irvine, five judges ruled.
Last night Mr Irvine, who campaigns for Action 4 Equality Scotland, said: “If Eddie McAvoy has any dignity, he should resign — he’s presided over the total mess the council has made of equal pay and is responsible for this terrible waste of public money.”
The Labour-led council tried to bury data amid a legal battle by 3,000 women to find out if they were paid less than men doing similar jobs. The authority refused to reveal details of salaries in response to a freedom of information request by Mr Irvine in 2010.
The Scottish Information Commissioner and the Court of Session ordered the figures to be released — but the council snubbed the rulings.
Stubborn Mr McAvoy, 72, who has led the council since 1999, was urged to give up the battle as it was racking up a huge legal bill.
But he dug his heels in, and South Lanarkshire became the first public body in Scotland to appeal an FoI ruling all the way to the UK Supreme Court.
However, the council’s arguments that releasing the stats would breach Data Protection laws were booted out in a written judgement released yesterday.
Judge Lady Hale — who delivered the ruling on behalf of the panel of beaks — said revealing the pay scales would NOT enable anyone to discover workers’ identities.
She said: “It is difficult to see why there’s interference with their right to respect for their private lives.”
Mr Irvine last night hailed a victory for “justice and common sense” and slammed the waste of around £200,000 on the legal action.
Full costs to taxpayers haven’t yet been finalised but will include bumper paydays for both sides’ QCs. Mr McAvoy and the council said they were “disappointed” at the outcome.
