To be elected to serve the public is an honour. It’s a position with responsibility, as well as an ambassadorial role.
I’ve never met anyone who wanted to be elected to make life worse for people – they all want to improve things. Achieving that, however, can be difficult.
I do feel that the idea of giving the public a view on the council budget in Aberdeen is little more than a gimmick. Principally because the public won’t be given real choices, like reopening all our libraries, swimming pools and community centres. It will be a Hobson’s choice, like put money into potholes or improve the care system.
The council’s SNP co-leader Christian Allard, who represents Torry and Ferryhill, voted against his constituents’ wishes regarding the St Fittick’s amenity area and the financing of the Big Noise project, which helps children in areas of high deprivation. Fortunately, his boss at that time, Nicola Sturgeon, saw the foolishness of that decision and came up with the cash to save it. That doesn’t say much for his listening skills.
Hopefully the other co-leader, Ian Yuill, will fare better, as the Lib Dems do believe in consultation.
It’s not practical to run a city by plebiscite. It needs leadership and facing the hard decisions. Not trying pass the blame back to the public.
Perhaps a better way forward is to discuss the budgetary issues with the organisations and communities involved, and agree how best to proceed.
The reason we get these constant budget cuts is partially because the Grant Aided Expenditure formula, which was set up in the mid-1980s and reviewed in 2017, is massively out of date. These parameters were set out by the UK parliament, and based on things like population, number of roads covered, deprivation and school teachers, to name but a few. Some of that made sense.
But, when oil was at its height, the government decided to reduce the money for Aberdeen and distribute it elsewhere. We have been suffering underfunding ever since. I can recall, prior to the Scottish Government being set up, having to constantly fly to London to lobby Malcom Rifkind and Michael Forsyth for additional funding.
The perception was that Aberdeen streets were paved with gold! The reality, as shown in the excellent documentary Aberdeen: When Oil Came to Town was that the wealth was in the hands of a few, and there was little trickle-down effect.
Things were slightly better when the Scottish parliament was opened, because the Scottish ministers got into deep discussions with Cosla and the councils, which produced more effective budgets. However, as years have gone on, the parity of esteem has been seriously breached, and the SNP government directs, rather than discusses with, Cosla. The imposition of a 15-year freeze on council tax has deprived local government of considerable funding.
Currently, the bulk of the cash from Scottish Government goes to the Central Belt. It’s interesting to note that taxes collected from Aberdeen exceed any rates support grant we receive.
The Scottish Government stumbles on
As the Scottish Government stumbles on, it has power but takes no responsibility. That’s an arrogance which does overtake parties when they have been in uninterrupted power for so long.
Hence, the litany of failures on gender reform, recycling, fishing policies, rural affairs affecting our farmers, housing shortages, the fiasco of the island ferries, and failure to upgrade the A9.
I am so fed up of ministers appearing on TV, evading the questions asked
After 16 long years in charge, the SNP is a tired-looking party, and will eventually destroy itself from within its own ranks.
The same is true of the Conservative Party, which has run national finances to the advantage of a few. But, let’s be honest, our MPs are not suffering a cost-of-living crisis because, financially, they can cope with it. I am so fed up of ministers appearing on TV, evading the questions asked. The number of times I’ve heard the excuse: “It’s not my decision to make” or: “We shall have to look at the details” – just constant evasions.
The public needs substance
Politicians are keen to appear in the media, until they want to hide their failures. This is a problem for Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, too. Labour is reluctant to release its plan for government, in case the media picks holes in it. Better to publish and defend your policies.
Labour cannot simply rely on the Conservatives being unpopular in order to win an election.
The public needs substance. They need to know what Labour believe in, and how the party’s vision for the future will improve people’s lives.
You will never hear a military general say: “We can’t go any further – I’ve exceeded my budget!” Money can always be found. If we can find money to fight wars, we can find money to fight poverty and improve the quality of life.
Len Ironside CBE is a former champion wrestler who served as an Aberdeen councillor for 35 years, with four years as council leader
