WHILST the council are looking to bridge a £20 million pound budget gap over the next three years, and some of the plans are to lay of staff and close the only council care home, have they failed to stop the basic and unnecessary flow of cash out of the Eastwood Park doors.
Just how did they end up in this mess, did they fail to take care of the pennies which has resulted in the loss of the pounds, which is now leading to the loss of front line staff.
Was it necessary or indeed prudent to gift thousands of pounds to voluntary groups looking to improve Rouken Glen Park, only to find that one group have now disbanded, due to what they claim are the actions of ERC and the other has just disappeared, and all the work that was carried out is now going to waste.
Was is prudent to gift thousands of pounds to a community council, only to find that their accounts did not appear to be wholly accurate and show the distribution of the cash.
Was is wise to gift thousands of pounds to a Gala project, only to find that accounts were not provided.
There are numerous examples of monies being gifted to local groups and never being accounted for or the expenditure fully explained.
Is it really necessary for the Convenor of Community engagement to have access to a fund and permitted to take decisions without the approval of the cabinet as to where she gifts the cash.
Is it prudent that the Provost also has a fund and he to can gift cash as and when he pleases with out the approval of the cabinet.
A Tea dance at a cost of how much, corporate tables at charity functions which start at £500 and go up to £4,000 per table, attended by invited councillors to accompany the Provost for a full meal and drinks throughout the evening, paid for by the Provost.
Housing Benefits overpayments of £15.624.24 written off.
Sports equipment valued at £20,000 gifted to an Pacific island, instead of being sold off.
£40,000 put into a Town Centre Resilience fund for such things as Hanging Baskets and fence painting in Thornliebank.
£120,000 put into a Town Centre Resilience fund for Barrhead in relation to the same type of projects.
Is this council top heavy with overpaid chiefs.
A current advertisement for a Head of Education in East Ayrshire Council shows the salary to be £85,734. Whilst ERC are recorded in 2011 as paying their Head of Education £108,507.
ERC have a Chief Executive and a Deputy at a cost of £135,096 and £116,695 which many other councils only have a Head and no requirement for a deputy.
This council have a large legal team
2 trainees
2 solicitors
1 solicitor (Environment Dept)
3.8 FTE senior solicitors
1 principle solicitor
1 Chief Officer (Legal and Procurement)
The last senior solicitor was on a salary of £113,686
WITH a team of this strength why has the council required to spend and increasing amount of cash on external legal advice, year on year.
THE current administration have been in situ for the past three years and to date they have spent 1/2 million pounds on EXTERNAL legal advice.
It would appear that Jim Fletcher and his band do not understand the meaning of the proverb "look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves"
Meanwhile residential care homes face the prospect of closure, schools will be without police officers and teachers, at least two community wardens will be looking for new jobs.
In addition the cabinet were asked in September 2014 to note a shortfall - in our language 'an overspend' of £357,000
The only exception is that the PR section appears to have recruited yet another member of staff. (Newsline is unable to confirm this as Louisa Mahon, Head of the PR section has refused to converse with us) |