Aberdeen council’s co-leader has launched a stinging attack on her opposition rival calling for him to apologise “for undermining the council” in a bitter dispute over outsourcing.
A row has been growing between the opposition SNP and ruling Conservative, Aberdeen Labour and independent alliance after a heated committee meeting this week.
On Monday at the strategic commissioning committee, SNP leader Stephen Flynn proposed an amendment to ban all future outsourcing of services at the authority but was ultimately defeated by six votes to three.
Despite the defeat, the debtate has continued on social media between the groups.
Council co-leader Jenny Laing said: “Mr Flynn’s constant scaremongering around outsourcing is completely unfounded and I call on him to apologise for trying to undermine the council and for using employees as pawns for so called political gain.
“It is difficult to take the SNP seriously when you look back at the SNP budget in March, where they accepted the recommendation to outsource catering at our galleries and museums.
“It is unfortunate that the SNP leader simply does not understand the budget he was proposing or is being hypocritical to suit his narrow political agenda. Our staff are our greatest asset and should not be used as political footballs.”
Mr Flynn responded: “I made a very simple proposal that as elected members we should take the opportunity to provide assurance to staff, and the people of Aberdeen, that the council will not outsource jobs as part of the administration’s new target operating model.
“I’m not the slightest bit surprised to see Aberdeen City Council’s suspended Labour co-leader lash out in this fashion given how their party HQ will respond to such news. Councillor Laing has badly misjudged this issue.”
