Calls have been made to halt plans to post a controversial “propaganda” magazine – with the cash used for school books instead.
Sending out the 12-page publication on the “legacy” of Aberdeen City Council over the past five years will cost roughly £40,000.
The plan was voted through last Thursday by 20 votes to 18.
But the proposal has resulted in outrage from the opposition SNP and Liberal Democrat groups who said the magazine – which will be posted with council tax bills – was “propaganda”.
Now Liberal Democrats Martin Greig and Jennifer Stewart have called on council chiefs to scrap the plan and instead use the money for an ongoing fundraising drive for books for Hazlehead Academy.
The cash-strapped school is having to turn to charity to find around £45,000 to update its library with new titles.
Mr Greig said: “It is disgraceful to waste scarce public funds on their own vanity publication.
“Hazlehead Academy needs about £45,000 for books.
“If there is any extra cash, then it should be spent on books and other resources for schools, not on a propaganda sheet.”
Mrs Stewart added: “The administration is making a mistake by putting their own interests before vital public services. It is hard to believe that some think this is an acceptable use of public money.
“The proposed booklet is a divisive gesture and should not go ahead.
“The publication contributes nothing towards the delivery of council services.
“The scarce funds intended for it should go towards school resources.
“Looking after the interests of pupils is far more important than political point-scoring. In the current climate of budget cuts and economic problems, this is a shocking decision.”
The Labour-led administration was heavily criticised for sending out pro-union letters with council tax bills in the run up to the independence referendum in 2014, leading to many of administration councillors being taken to the standards commission. However, they were all cleared.
Last night finance convener Willie Young defended the publication adding: “We think it’s important that the public know what we have been doing for the past five years.
“My understanding is that we’ve increased our spend on education by around 10% since we came to power.
“This is in stark contrast to their days in administration.”
