Council to weigh up cost of day off for Queen’s jubilee

By RORY REYNOLDS
Published on Thursday 3 November 2011 12:12

GIVING council staff the day off for the Queen’s diamond jubilee would land the authority with a £320,000 bill, it has emerged.

Councillors will next week take the decision on whether to approve an extra holiday and day off school on June 5, 2012.

It is estimated the cost of allowing the additional day off will be up to £320,000, although that figure will be considerably higher when the cost of lost productivity is taken into account.

However, city business leaders said a public holiday would boost morale and productivity for the workforce.

Local authorities in Scotland will decide their own options for the jubilee, with Glasgow already planning a long weekend from Friday, June 1, until Tuesday, June 5.

However, North Ayrshire has ruled out a day off for the event, while Highland Council is proposing a normal working day.

If approved, most of the Capital’s council staff – which number just under 18,000 –would have the day off. Certain employees, such as social workers, would form a skeleton staff, with the costs expected to be between £250,000 and £320,000.

If approved, teachers – and therefore pupils – will be among those who have the day off to enjoy the celebrations.

Council leader Jenny Dawe said a balance was needed and that the local authority would ask the unions how keen their members are for the day off.

She said: “There is a balance to be struck with celebrating this historic event and managing our services. We have asked the unions for their views on this matter before we come to a decision.”

For the royal wedding in April the Scottish Government wrote to council chiefs saying that not allowing staff a day off could have an “adverse impact for morale”. The Chamber of Commerce said if approved the holiday would provide a break from work and a morale boost for council workers.

Spokesman Graham Bell said: “As one of the countries in Europe with the least public holidays we really shouldn’t be worried about a few more, so we welcome the opportunity for days off for St Andrew’s Day, the royal wedding and the jubilee.”

He added: “If people have more time to have fun and celebrate they become more productive. It can be a very good thing for the workforce.”

The policy and strategy committee will decide on Tuesday.

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Templar75

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 07:46 PM

Why should they be given the day off and why should Scotland celebrate, after all she not our Queen she is not the Queen of Scotland, and she never will be, roll on Independence.

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Snoopy1

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 06:09 PM

I do not understand the argument that giving them the day off that it will cost money in lost productivity,no i would disagree with that argument,it would save the council tax payers money as they are a bunch of none producers in the first place, just try and contact them with regards council business,they are never available to, take your call,because they are skiving in the local shops doing sum shopping for them self,or kidding you on and them self that they are in high powered meetings when you call, do they think the public cant see through there excuses for there none producing activities,they want to wake up and drink less coffee,if they think that people are that gullible to take in there excuses.

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AlbertB

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 06:09 PM

Will Jenny ask her favourite contractor to give the ABM workers a day off ... ?? not likely Roll on next May those LIBDEMS will be history

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Dragonlord

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 05:29 PM

Council leader Jenny Dawe said a balance was needed and that the local authority would ask the unions how keen their members are for the day off Is this woman insane? Hey you guys want a day off? Naw it's Ok Jenny we will come to work, Aye right! The sooner this loony is dumped the better.

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7

Aristotle

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 03:45 PM

They spend 100's of millions of pounds on an unwanted tramline, 100's of thousands of pounds on Cardownies festival romps not to mention other extravagancies and HeeHaw is worried about a measley £320000. The woman clearly has no concept of irony. In any event the matter wont concern her as by then she and her fellow incompetents should all be unemployed.

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JumboLumbo

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 03:42 PM

The key for me is allowing people time off to 'enjoy the celebrations.' We don't really celebrate royalty in Scotland from my experience, so I think the basic premise is wrong. Allowing people an unpaid day off would ensure that those who DO wish to celebrate would be able to plan their day with the knowledge that their day off is guaranteed.

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Dxxx

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 02:58 PM

Are the shops open on this day? If yes, then the Council and Government workers would only go shopping if given a holiday. If, and only if, the private sector gets the day off should the public sector get it.

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judgedredd777

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 02:47 PM

Its only another holiday from the true number of holidays that the City of Edinburgh Council withhold from their employees. The statutory minimum you are entitled is a minimum of 5.6 weeks paid annual leave - 28 days for someone working five days a week, from the 1st April 2009, an increase of 3 Days per year (Direct Gov Holiday Entitlement). So it a`int a free-be holiday, its a holiday that the council have skinned of the employees from the last three years, 9 days in total. anyway the council coffers must be awash with money if they can still afford to pay for the Vanity Tram, oops that Money Vortex will not go away untill they have killed Edinburgh Off.

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John1

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 02:04 PM

I do not want them to give away MY MONEY on free holidays for people fortunate to be in work when young men qualified as tradesmen and with degrees cannot find work. Give them the job instead

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searchanddestroy

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 01:27 PM

"It is estimated the cost of allowing the additional day off will be up to £320,000, although that figure will be considerably higher when the cost of lost productivity is taken into account" What lost productivity????? Allow them all to take unpaid leave or the proverbial "public sector sickie" and readjust all pension rights down accordingly. This will help the country in the long run. “If people have more time to have fun and celebrate they become more productive" sadly that only works when the workforce actually produce something, unlike the public sector

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1

Velv

Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 01:19 PM

£320,000. So that's £18 per member of staff. Or about 8 yards of tram track

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