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East Lothian Courier

Councillor blasts jubilee decision

Kirsty Gibbins • Published 9 Feb 2012 09:24 Mobiles Print Comments 37 Comments

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Councillor John McNeil

THE decision not to grant East Lothian Council employees a day off for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, saving the local authority £500,000, has been blasted by a councillor as "disgraceful".

The Joint Consultative Committee, an internal panel which considers matters concerning council employees, met on December 7 and upheld the recommendation of the local authority's board of directors not to grant an additional day's leave to approximately 3,250 council employees on Monday, June 5.

The main Diamond Jubilee celebrations, marking 60 years of the Queen's reign, will take place around an extended weekend from June 2 to 5.

A council spokeswoman said: "The board of directors (comprising the council's chief executive and four executive directors) took the decision not to award an additional day's leave. In reaching its decision the board took into account advice from Cosla, benchmarking with other local authorities, the legal position and the cost to the council.

"The gifting of an additional day's leave would require a significant financial investment, circa £500,000. The public perception of awarding a further day's leave to public sector employees in the current economic climate would likely be viewed as an inappropriate use of public funds."

The council has granted a public holiday to East Lothian schoolchildren but not to teaching staff. Neighbouring local authorities, Midlothian and Edinburgh City, and the Scottish Government have allocated employees a holiday for the celebrations.

The move has angered Musselburgh West councillor John McNeil, who claims the decision should be overturned. He has written to Angela Leitch, the council's chief executive, calling for a re-think.

The Labour councillor, who has been selected to defend his ward as a candidate in the forthcoming May council elections, said: "I think it is disgraceful that at the meeting of the JCC, the administration had the opportunity to vote with Councillor Willie Innes's proposal to award a public holiday to all of the council staff, but instead ignored it in favour of this wasteful and unequal outcome.

"The council justifies its decision on the basis that it would cost £500,000 to give all staff the day off, once again putting pounds before fairness and people's lives.

"Teachers on the day will be paid not to teach which is wasteful. It is divisive and unfair.

"I hope readers of the Courier and the people of East Lothian will write to Angela Leitch to request the party-pooper SNP/Lib Dem coalition reverse their unfair ruling and join with the free and fair-minded people of the UK to celebrate the reign of Queen Elizabeth II for the dignified service she has given us."

Councillor Paul McLennan, council leader, said: "The board of directors recommended not to award an additional day's leave in regard to the jubilee.

"The gifting of additional day's holiday would have cost the authority in the region of £500,000 and this is extremely hard to justify.

"Discussions were held in regard to moving one of the fixed public holidays; however, in discussions with unions this was not progressed."

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