SNP vs The Public Interest

When Keith Brown (Scotland's justice minister) is finished  saving the planet, maybe he'll find time to respond to my letter and explain his decision use public money to employ the SNP leader of  Clackmannanshire Council as his local Office Manager.

Public Money and SNP Politicians (November 25, 2021)

I've decided to ask the obvious question of Keith Brown MSP regarding the employment of Cllr Ellen Forson as his Office Manager even though the councillor has a £30,000 full-time, salaried job as SNP Leader of Clackmannanshire Council.  

Seems like an impossible arrangement to defend or justify, but let's see what the Deputy Leader of the SNP has to say - after all Keith is a former SNP Leader of Clacks Council himself.

Dear Mr Brown

Public Money and SNP Politicians

I understand the SNP leader of Clackmannanshire Council, Cllr Ellen Forson, is also employed as Office Manager in your local constituency office as the MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane.

I would be grateful if you can explain the nature of the councillor's employment in your office including the time commitment involved and cost to the public purse?

Because it does seem extraordinary that a senior councillor can draw two public salaries at the same time, especially as the role of Council Leader has already been designated as a full-time commitment and paid accordingly - in accordance with the legislation and nationally agreed scheme covering councillors' salaries in Scotland.

I realise that I am not one of your constituents, but as Deputy Leader of the SNP I am sure you appreciate the wider interest in the way public money is spent by public institutions such as Clackmannanshire Council and the Scottish Parliament. 

I look forward to your reply.

Mark Irvine

SNP - Council Leader of the Year 2021? (November 25, 2021)

 

I wonder if the SNP Leader of Clackmannanshire Council (who doubles up as Keith Brown's Office Manager) was nominated for the prestigious 'Council Leader of the Year Award 2021?

Now that would be a real hoot! 

SNP - Cant Have It Both Ways! (November 18, 2021)

A public spirited citizen got in touch last night (after reading my blog) to ask if I knew that the SNP leader of Clackmannanshire Council, Cllr Ellen Forson, also works in the constituency office of Keith Brown, the local SNP MSP.

Now the leader of Clackmannanshire Council is paid a  salary of £30,000 a year and the role is designated as a full-time position, as are council leaders and senior councillors in Scottish councils.

Yet Cllr Forson is also employed as Keith Brown's Office Manager according to council's register of interests which is quite remarkable, given the demands and responsibilities of a council leader - which is why they receive a full-time salary in the first place.   

Now the salary of Keith Brown's office manager is not disclosed, but what can it possibly be - £25,000 or £30,000 a year?

If you ask me, the public deserve to know and there ought to be an urgent enquiry into what appears to be a common practice of 'gaming the system' on councillor salaries - right across Scottish local government.

Keith Brown, by the way, has been an MSP since 2007 and is currently the Scottish Government's justice minister, as well as being the deputy leader of the SNP.

 

Cllr Ellen Forson - SNP leader of Clackmannanshire Council