Councillors have asked the incoming head of Dundee council to do more to ensure key workers are rewarded for their coronavirus sacrifices.
The council’s scrutiny committee asked incoming chief executive Greg Colgan to write to the first minister to request council key workers also receive a £500 bonus.
Ms Sturgeon promised the sum to pandemic workers in the NHS and social care as a thank you for their efforts on the frontline against coronavirus.
Dundee workers praised
Mr Colgan stopped short of agreeing to the committee’s request, which came after a discussion on the praise workers had received from city residents for their efforts during the pandemic.
He said he would issue a video message “thanking all staff for their hard work, commitment and dedication” in his first few weeks in the top civil servant job at the local authority.
“It’s certainly my intention to recognise the contribution the council staff are making, particularly during the last nine months where it’s been some challenging and difficult times,” he told the committee.
New Dundee City Council chief executive
Dundee City Council appointed Mr Colgan as new chief executive in October. He previously served as executive director of corporate services.
The council later issued a statement saying Mr Colgan would only initially discuss sending a letter with scrutiny committee convener and Labour councillor Kevin Keenan.
Councillor Richard McCready, also Labour, who proposed the letter to the Scottish Government said the committee’s position had been clear.
He said: “The convener accepted my proposal and no officer or elected member suggested that there was any problem with that.
“As was pointed out at the start of the meeting, and as is always the case in council meetings, silence indicates agreement with what has been said.
Letter forthcoming
“I am sure that once Mr Colgan and Bailie Keenan discuss this an appropriate letter will be sent to the Scottish Government,” he added.
“This should highlight the great work done by many front-line council employees during the pandemic and seek their inclusion in any bonus schemes that are brought forward.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “Following the meeting of the scrutiny committee, the chief executive will talk directly to committee convener Bailie Kevin Keenan about the request to write a letter to the first minister.”
