Council leader describes opponent's Kingdom Bakers comments as 'shameful'
Fife Council's leader has given his full backing to officers for their efforts to safeguard jobs at Kingdom Bakers in Kirkcaldy following criticism from his opposite number this week.
- By Craig Smith
- Published in the Courier : 06.02.12
- Published online : 06.02.12 @ 11.12am
Councillor Peter Grant also branded as ''despicable beyond belief'' an attempt by Labour leader Alex Rowley to suggest council workers had sped up the demise of the firm, which collapsed just a few days ago.
The company laid off 135 workers when it was forced to call in the receivers a week ago today, prompting suggestions from Mr Rowley that the council's move to freeze funds was the catalyst for its closure and calls for the creation of a ''rapid response unit'' to deal with similar situations in future (link).
However, Mr Grant said council officers have been trying for months to get the firm to accept support to help it survive after a lengthy period of exceptionally difficult trading results.
''There's enough information in the public domain to indicate that the company's chances of survival had become slim at best, regardless of what the council did,'' he said.
''For example, The Courier itself has already reported that they were well past the statutory deadline to complete their accounts for last year and that the previous year's accounts showed a serious downturn in their finances.
''In addition, public documents from Companies House show that they had recently appointed a new director who has previously been a director of 35 companies that have been dissolved.
''This is perfectly legal but it all paints an unmistakable picture of a company in serious and potentially terminal long-term decline.
''What makes Councillor Rowley's attack even more shameful is that through the senior position he holds in Fife Council he has been given access to further information, much of which cannot be made public, about the scale of the company's problems.
''No rational person in possession of this information could hold Fife Council officers responsible in any way for the company going under. In fact there's a strong argument that it was only thanks to the support of these officers that they were able to keep trading for as long as they did,'' he claimed.
''When you consider that the same officers Councillor Rowley is now bad mouthing have put a lot of time and effort into making sure he was kept informed about the true story, his actions are despicable beyond belief.
''He may think it's OK to ignore all the facts and make wild accusations against council officers as long as he says he respects them afterwards. I doubt if the people he's just kicked in the teeth will see it that way.''
11.36am - 06.02.2012 Dundee Postgrad - Dundee, UK Report This
Well let's think about this for a second. They collapsed because they owed the council £93,000 in rates amongst other things. If the council didn't collect rates, would they still be here? Governments do not need to collect tax, it is something they choose to do.
03.31pm - 06.02.2012 Molly - Cowdenbeath, Scotland Report This
Most of Fife's councillors forget that most of Fife council officers live and VOTE in Fife. They are weary of being used as political footballs and will remember this on polling day.
09.15pm - 06.02.2012 R.D.Robertson - Freuchie, Scotland Report This
Typical! These councillors and officials on five or six figure secure salaries try and gain the political high ground when the focus should be making sure the laid off workforce are able to make ends meet.
04.36pm - 07.02.2012 Eoin Ryan - Glenrothes, Scotland. Report This
And if Govts don't collect tax, then there will be, no schools, roads, street lighting, free home care, bus passes, parks, NHS, dole, democracy, etc, etc. How would the council have the funds to support a company if it didn't have the funds? Labour have become like ambulance chasing lawyers!
05.46pm - 07.02.2012 Gordon Barlow - Lochgelly, UK Report This
I, too, am astonished that Fife Council's leader has attempted to sway the focus of this debate and, therefore, completely misrepresent the central point Alex Rowley was making. The comments by Peter Grant are shameful.
10.40am - 08.02.2012 Dundee Postgrad - Dundee, UK Report This
Eoin, these things are still found in countries without huge tax bills. Home care, the NHS and dole money are not "free" since someone has to pay for them. The tax levels in this country may well have driven this company under. Now what is better, that people have work, or well funded dole money?
02.07pm - 12.02.2012 Eve - Cupar, Scotland Report This
Dundee Postgraduate, You are so right. Tax levels are too high. What we need is a government in Scotland who controls business and NI rates. Independence anyone?
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