Out of Their Depth

Scotland has been made to look ridiculous as a result of the Edinburgh trams fiasco - but at long last the truth is being told.

One of the politicians at the centre of the scandal - Councillor Gordon Mackenzie - has admitted that he and his councillor colleagues were 'out of their depth' - and failed to oversee the project properly. 

Better late than never I suppose.

But after years of disruption to Edinburgh's streets and only half a project to show for almost a billion pounds of public money - the city council looks about as sure-footed as the back end of a pantomime horse.

The reputation of local government and local decision making has suffered a grievous blow - requiring the Scottish Government has had to step in and restore some much needed sanity to proceedings.

The arm's-length public company created specially by the council to manage the trams project - TIE (Transport Initiatives Edinburgh) has been wound up - in a classic case of closing the stable door long after the horse has bolted. 

The main contractor - Bilfinger Berger - had come in for a huge amount of criticism by TIE - but was defended today by the Scottish Government's finance secretary - John Swinney - as a prefectly reasonable company to work with.

What is clear is that these arm's length companies - dominated by councillors with little or no relevant expertise - are a very risky way to deliver local government services.

Yet they still exist.

And in Glasgow they control great swathes of the councils - through bodies like Cordia for example - and councillors in Glasgow benefit directly from these arrangements through 'top up' salaries - which is a disgrace in many people's eyes.

Councillor Gordon Mackenzie - Edinburgh's transport convener - has at least owned up and said that his background in social work - left him ill-prepared for his role in scrutinising the controversial trams project.

Let's hope others follow his lead - but while we're at it - I seem to recall Councillor Mackenzie having had lots to say about equal pay previously.

Which is of course another area where councillors and Scottish local government - have made a complete hash of things.

So maybe another apology will follow - to all the low paid women workers who were kept in the dark about equal pay for years.

Whose jobs were undervalued and underpaid by local councils - across the length and breadth of Scotland.

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