Edinburgh Sucks! | Top-heavy with bureaucrats.

City Council

Top-heavy with bureaucrats.

By The Basa ⋅ May 21, 2006 ⋅

Fife’s version of Tom Aitchison the Chief Executive has finally come out and said what most Scots have been saying for decades, that Scotland is chronically over-governed.

Although it took him 30 years to pluck up the courage to say it, it is refreshing to hear.Â However it will not affect the huge pension he will retire with in two weeks off the backs of the taxpayers of Fife.

“There should be a review of local governance in Scotland. When you come to Edinburgh Airport, it says welcome to the best small country in the world. Why can’t we be the best small country in the world in terms of governance?”

Sinclair’s call is all the more significant as he is one of Scotland’s most experienced council figures, having spent 30 years in local government.

He was also the chair of Solace Scotland, the body representing senior managers working in local government.

Of course the other bureaucrats are up in arms at his statements.Â Â A spokesman for CoSLA (the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) [a huge quango] , which represents Scotland’s local authorities, attacked Sinclair.Â “These are the thoughts of an individual – and an individual who is leaving local government at that,” he said.

“By simply plucking a random number you are in danger of adding to the institutional porridge that Douglas claims to dislike so much.”

Of course they would say that, wouldn’t they.

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