Labour to unveil team to run city administration

Senior reporter

Thursday 17 May 2012

GLASGOW'S ruling Labour administration will today announce its top team to run the city, amid claims senior roles have been assigned in a "party job creation scheme".

Custom byline text:

GERRY BRAIDEN

Several major appointments to west of Scotland quangos including Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Strathclyde Police Authority (SPA) will also be confirmed at Glasgow's first full council meeting since the local elections.

Among the names who will split the £720,000 set aside for salaries between 26 jobs, The Herald understands there will be no places at the executive committee top table for former MSPs Frank Aveety and Bill Butler. The pair will take secondary roles chairing policy committees, worth £23,400 each-a-year.

Observers have also noted the promotion and installation into paid roles of internal opponents of council leader Gordon Matheson during the last term, as well as some close to the Sarwar dynasty, sparking speculation of outside influences including from current Labour MP Gordon Banks and former Labour MSP Tom McCabe. George Redmond, who pulled out of the race to become Lord Provost, will get the £20,000-a-year job of chairing SPT. The Herald understands prominent south side councillor and former Holyrood candidate Stephen Curran will be given the education brief and depart his role as chairman of the SPA. Councillor Curran, one of the Sarwars' pillars of support in the council, had previously been touted as education convener but was denied the job over fears of a backlash due to his children being privately educated. However, with his former wife having moved away from Glasgow with their children party bosses believe this is no longer a hurdle. Taking Councillor Curran's place on the SPA will be Phil Braat, a lawyer. The post only runs until April when the new national force comes into being. Eyebrows though have been raised at the awarding of the planning committee to Gorbals backwoods councillor James Scanlon, while four of the new intake also get paid roles. The licensing board will be chaired by Malcolm Cunning. Senior councillors, including Treasurer Paul Rooney, Liz Cameron, Jim Coleman, George Ryan and Matt Kerr, keep the roles they had in the last administration, while deputy leader Archie Graham adds the chair of Glasgow Life to his Commonwealth Games brief. The scrutiny committees have been cut from three to two, denying the opposition parties one paid place. The SNP's business manager David McDonald said: "We hope that Councillor Matheson lives up to his pledges of an inclusive approach to working and not to get involved in the sort of petty party politics which his predecessor favoured of appointing opposition 'yes men' as chairs." Councillor Matheson said: "I'm in the fortunate position of being able to draw from a large group of talented people."

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Labour to unveil team to run city administration

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED