Can't help but notice that Aberdeen City Council appears to be getting into deeper and deeper trouble ... really serious, financial trouble - and not debatable, political-trouble.I mentioned a few weeks ago, the contrast between Liverpool and Edinburgh ... and you can now draw your own conclusions about Aberdeen's recent track record?
... one can only hope, probably in vain, that certain local colleagues may wish to quietly reflect on just how difficult it can be to successfully run a major city authority ...
11 comments:
Aye, it's no easy sweepin up efter Labour's been makin a midden o thi place!
Anonymous
Whilst I appreciate the 'evidence-based' comment :-) ... part of the point I was making here is that in both Liverpool and Aberdeen, Labour (unfortunately from my perspective obviously!) have been out of power for some considerable time.
Andrew
P.S. I just knew my "probably in vain" would be prophetic :-((
Suggest you check you facts (and don't believe everything you read in the press) before making such sweeping statements.
Aberdeen is Scotland's worst funded local council (yes, an even lower level of Scottish Government grant per citizen in 2008/9than Edinburgh).
Anonymous (2)
Thanks for the comment - I do take your point about the press, and know that Aberdeen has had a raw deal from central government this year (as have many Local Authorities).
But lets be honest, its not just the press that are voicing concerns about Aberdeen is it:
http://www.accounts-commission.gov.uk/media/article.php?id=71
Andrew
I don't think being out of power since 2003 can be classed as "some considerable time" in the case of Aberdeen.
Certainly a large amount of what is rotten in Aberdeen can be attributed to the way it has been run since it was established in 1996.
The people of Aberdeen are not daft enough to blame the present incumbents for the issues, although doubtless some of them were to blame in the last administration.
Perhaps you could explain why the Labour party failed to propose an alternative budget, which might have shed some light on how they planned to deliver services differently.
Aberdeen Voter
Thanks for the comment.
I guess we'll have to agree to differ over how long 5-years is!
On your point about the budget - unlike at Edinburgh Council, its my understanding, that there is no tradition in Aberdeen local government of Opposition Groups setting alternative budgets.
Scotland's biggest city has the same tradition - where the SNP Opposition Group at Glasgow Council didn't set an alternative budget this year.
And the same applies in Holyrood and Westminsiter of course.
In fact, asking around a few colleagues (of all Parties), it appears that Edinburgh Council may be one of the few local authorities where Opposition Groups have a tradition of setting full, alternative budgets.
Andrew
P.S. and I should confirm that we did set one here this year!
Tut tut Andrew.
Labour's non-budget was the first time in ten years that the main opposition has failed to produce a budget.
Even when there was only one SNP councillor on Aberdeen City Council they still produced a budget.
You really should pay more attention on such matters.
Aberdeen Voter
Thanks for the further comment.
Okay - so no disagreement on Glasgow Council, Holyrood, or Wesminster? ... I'll double-check the historical situation at Aberdeen.
Andrew
I'm not disputing the particular peculiarities of Glasgow, and the parliamentary budget process is entirely disanalogous so does not really bear any comparison.
aberdeen voter
Apologies for being slow in a further response ...
... I do take your point, but looking at the minute here:
http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/acci/web/files/committeeminutesCouncil/cde_cou_smin_080214.pdf
- there was an amendment moved by the main opposition group seeking a delay and reconsideration of the budget proposals as they stood.
I guess we'll find out much more on 13th/14th May ...
Andrew
ooops, link too long - try this:
http://tinyurl.com/5xrxfh
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