Taxpayers in Aberdeen could be asked to foot a bill of up to £3million to hire three new officials to oversee the city centre’s regeneration.
Councillors will be asked next week to approve the recruitment of a new city centre director, programme manager and public relations officer to drive forward their “masterplan” for the heart of Aberdeen.
The total annual cost of the appointments would be up to £294,100 – and the officials are expected to be in post for about 10 years.
In a report to a meeting of the council’s finance committee, it states that the new director is in line for a salary of up to £112,035, while the manger would get £63,297, and the communications officer could receive a maximum of £51,352.
Pressure groups and opposition politicians claimed last night that the proposed salary rates were “inflated” and were bound to “raise eyebrows” amid the ongoing public spending squeeze.
The masterplan includes 49 projects designed to breathe new life into the city centre, including the pedestrianisation of part of Union Street and expansion of Union Terrace Gardens, and was approved unanimously by city councillors in June.
Finance committee convener Willie Young confirmed last night that the new officials were expected to be in post for 10 years, and highlighted Dundee City Council’s appointment of a director of city development to drive forward its waterfront regeneration.
“If we’re serious about delivering a city centre masterplan then we have to do this. We want to get a director who will deliver the city centre masterplan,” he said.
“We can’t leave it all to the chief executive. That money will be well spent once we can see the further regeneration of the city centre.
“Other plans for the city centre have sat on the shelf and gathered dust. For the first time the council is serious about delivering it.”
Central Aberdeen SNP MSP Kevin Stewart questioned the move.
“In the past, leaders of the current Labour-led administration were critical of appointing project directors to take on specific roles so it’s somewhat surprising to see them sanctioning these appointments,” he said.
“However, what comes as no surprise is their continued obsession of wanting to appoint spin doctors on inflated salaries.
“Why do they continually feel the need to appoint media manipulators, corporate propagandists and sound biters? Is this going to be yet another case of spin over substance?”
A spokeswoman for the TaxpayerScotland pressure group, said: “These rather large salaries are bound to raise eyebrows at a time when people across the public sector are facing pay freeze or worse in order to make necessary savings.
“Taxpayers are within their rights to ask how the council is justifying these salaries. The council needs to do everything it can to keep costs down.”