Water waste of £8000 on plants

BOSSES at the Forestry Commission Scotland are under fire after it emerged they spent thousands of pounds on contracting an outside firm to water plants at its city HQ.

Despite having scores of horticulturists on the payroll, the government department paid waterers 8000 to maintain plants at Silvan House in Corstorphine in 2009/10 alone.

Critics have attacked the national land manager for needless expenditure, adding that staff should be more than qualified to handle "small potted plants on filing cabinets" and "floor-standing shrubs".

The commission said the plants were necessary because Silvan House is a "fairly stuffy building", and claimed hiring contractors is cheaper than asking staff to water plants.

The figure only accounts for plants inside the building and does not include gardening costs.

The commission, forced to release the details under freedom of information legislation, also revealed that staff at Silvan House have spent more than 26,000 on taxis in just a year.

The details emerged just two days after the News revealed how civil servants were told to take the number 22 bus from Victoria Quay in Leith to St Andrew's House on Calton Hill after racking up a taxi bill of 300,000 last year.

Emma Boon, campaign manager at the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "The Forestry Commission Scotland is supposed to be responsible for the protection of forests and woodlands so it's ridiculous that they can't even water their own plants.

"They shouldn't have office greenery if they can't look after it themselves, it's a complete waste of money."

Robin Harper, Green MSP for the Lothians, said: "If all the contractor is doing is watering the plants then surely they could find somebody in-house who could go round and do that for a fraction of the price."

He added: "As far as the taxis go, Silvan House is on a main public transport route."

Silvan House is comprised of 307 staff, 257 working for the UK government and 50 for Forestry Commission Scotland.

A spokesman for the Forestry Commission said: "The contractors water, maintain and replace the plants, and this has proved to be more cost-effective than expecting our own staff to do the job."

Of the 26,325 taxi bill, he said that the expenditure on the Silvan House account was 12,000, and that the remainder was individual staff accounts.

He added: "Staff are encouraged to use public transport when practicable."