City shake-up - 'Put services and council taxpayers first'

The move to delay the replacement of two of the council's biggest earners is an encouraging sign of progress at Waverley Court.

It is not that we think all senior management is a waste of money. On the contrary, the staff suspensions and fraud probe at the property conservation department suggest a need for more supervision rather than less, in some areas.

But at a time when frontline services, from bin collections to nurseries, are being axed to help find 90m-plus of savings over three years, it is absolutely right that there is a concerted drive for a more efficient management structure.

On new chief executive Sue Bruce's first day in the job, the News told her that "six huge service departments with directors on six-figure salaries is at least one too many".

We are delighted that Mrs Bruce seems to agree and is minded not to replace both Jim Inch and Donald McGougan. Merging their jobs would save around 120,000, and further savings will surely come in a streamlined middle management of a combined finance and corporate services team.

Most who have had dealings with Mrs Bruce since January have been impressed with her modern approach and enthusiasm for efficiency, so we hope she may have even more radical moves in mind when she presents her blueprint for the future shape and structure of the council after the summer.

She has raised our expectations. Anything which puts services and council taxpayers first will be met with approval across the city.

Criminal kids

it defies belief that kids as young as nine could be behind an attack on a garage which left a charity minibus in pieces.

But that's what Colin Martin thinks happened when a gang of 12 youths raided his Armadale lock-up, broke into the vehicle and caused so much damage it is a write-off.

Mr Martin says in a similar raid six months ago, kids stole keys for his son's car and reversed it into a wall, causing 7000 of damage.

The latest attack is a shocking case which will reinforce the prejudices of those who tend to grumble about "kids today" - and these young culprits should be hunted and punished. But the fact remains that the vast majority of young people do not get up to such antics.

And for those who live in fear of assault or robbery there is also the comforting news today that crime has fallen by ten per cent in a year.

Like the younger generation, we have less to fear from crime than many of us sometimes think.