City buys £5k of drinks for outsourcing firms

TAXPAYERS are to pick up the tab for a £5,000 drinks reception for companies that specialise in outsourcing.

The city council – which recently invited bids to take over its services – will hold a glitzy event at Edinburgh Castle today for hundreds of private firms that provide outsourced services.

The cost has been criticised by unions and opposition councillors, who call it "inappropriate" in the current financial climate.

But city leaders insist the event will help it try to attract more investment into the city.

The firms at the lavish reception will be attending an all-week conference on "shared services and outsourcing".

Cllr Andrew Burns, leader of the council's Labour group, said: "Spending 5,000 on a reception for companies that specialise in outsourcing seems particularly inappropriate in the current climate.

"Edinburgh taxpayers' money would be better spent on ensuring council services are retained in-house, rather than on private companies whose main interest is to take services away from local authority control."

The 700 delegates at the Shared Services and Outsourcing Week will all be invited to the Edinburgh Castle reception.