Last month the council convened a special meeting to discuss whether they would enter into any privatisation arrangements with the facilities management firm MITIE, as was widely anticipated. The council voted against privatisation of any kind. But, proving that ABM, or privatisation, is actually not yet quite over, Labour Group Leader, Councillor Andrew Burns, has lodged the following question for this Thursday’s meeting:-
“Can the Council Leader provide a full breakdown of the costs incurred (to include an overall total) by the Council in developing the Alternative Business Model (ABM) Programme, from inception in February 2009 through to cessation in January 2012?”
Speaking to The Reporter, Councillor Burns explained the reasoning behind the group’s question:-
“For over two years Council Officers were fully authorised by the SNP/Lib-Dem Administration, who run the Council, to pursue their privatisation programme which could have seen vital public services transferred to the private sector.
Whilst I welcomed the SNP’s last-minute change-of-heart, and their support for Labour’s consistent opposition to this outsourcing programme, it did come after nearly £4million of local tax-payers’ money had been sunk into pursuing this failed option.”
The agenda for this week’s council meeting includes several questions lodged by councillors. You can read the agenda below and we will be updating the proceedings live from the Council Chamber on Thursday morning from 10a.m.
