Public fury and street protest
What on earth is going on in Aberdeen? More precisely, what on earth is going on
I lived in the Granite City in the late 1970s while working on the esteemed P&J.
My flat overlooked the harbour and memories from the time include the vessels in port sounding their horns at midnight on Hogmanay.
Such reminiscences occasionally still intrude on my contemporary central belt existence.
Consequently, I still retain a fondness for the city of the Northern Lights and an interest in its future.
Hence, again, the question. Can anyone enlighten me as to what on earth is going on at the city council?
The underlying issues. For some months now at Holyrood, knowing my North-east connections, sundry MSPs, notably of a Labour persuasion, have been regaling me with gossip of problems in the local authority.
Public concern
Glance at the city council's own website. There you will learn that authorities in the North-east have been co-operating to deal with the impact of the Grangemouth strike.
You will learn that Doonies Farm has just 60 days to prove its worth. Use it or lose it would appear to be the message.
No doubt shortage of space prevented the site from mentioning that the city council has been criticised by Audit Scotland over the sale of property assets.
Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald calls the disclosure "shocking". SNP MSP Brian Adam calls it a "matter of considerable concern" while noting that it all happened some time back.
Separately, the Accounts Commission is due to hold two days of hearings in Aberdeen in May following concern over the handling of the city's budget.
For concern, read public fury and street protest.
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