Dear Spurtle
I was astounded to learn that Scottish local government minister Derek
Mackay has frozen councillors' pay for another year.
I was impressed by the argument, when our banks were in crisis, that
restricting the remuneration of senior bankers in failing banks would
lead to a diaspora of banking talent as all the best practitioners left for
higher paid jobs with only poor-quality staff still in post.
This argument surely applies to local government and it would be
regrettable were Mr Mackay's freeze to lead to our councils
degenerating into a morass of the unemployed and unemployable,
especially as strong and wise leadership will be required to steer
councils through the difficult times ahead.
John Eoin Douglas
(Spey Terrace)