Council workers who are facing redundancy and huge cutbacks in services have reacted furiously after being invited to contribute towards a gift for their departing chief executive.
Sally Loudon was in charge of Argyll and Bute Council during a series of annual budget cuts, as well as an abortive attempt to close 26 primary schools.
This year a £10m cut in the authority’s budget has been confirmed, with 80 staff set to lose their jobs.
Ms Loudon resigned earlier this year to take up a post as chief executive of the local authority umbrella organization COSLA.
As revealed here, the council is now seeking her replacement, with a £118,000 salary being offered in return for working 35 hours per week.
Last week an email was sent to all council staff inviting them to show their appreciation to Ms Loudon, whose last day in the Lochgilphead headquarters is Friday May 6.
One council worker said: “Essential services have been cut to the bone and many of us have been worried sick about losing our jobs for the last few months.
“All the cuts are due to take effect this week, and with our bins only being emptied every three weeks from now on, this is literally adding insult to injury – most of us have never met the chief executive.
“It’s ok to ask for adoration from those close to her office, but not council-wide. I think it’s a bloody cheek.”
A new trust will be created this year to run council-owned halls, swimming pools and libraries, with staff being transferred to this trust – these staff are not included in the total of 80 jobs which are expected to go.
Other cost-saving measures include:
- School librarians in secondary schools ‘no longer provided’
- Household rubbish will only be collected every three weeks, although recycling collections will be fortnightly
- Higher fees for music tuition and a 20% reduction in the number of instructors
- School crossing patrols will be cut – but only at lunchtime and where there is already an electronic crossing in place
- Burial charges to increase by 20%, and cremation charges by 14%
- Car park charges will rise from 80p to £1
- Flower beds being returned to grass, with some areas that are already grass returning to ‘meadow/natural growth
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