Council bosses forked out nearly £50,000 on staff overtime as the Queen’s cortege passed through Dundee, it has emerged.
An estimated 40,000 people lined the A90 and the Kingsway as the late monarch’s coffin was taken from Balmoral to Edinburgh on September 11.
As details of the route emerged, the local authority contacted staff asking for volunteers to act as “stewards” for the cortege.
It is understood those involved were put through training the day before, and their duties involved lining the route and assisting the crowds.
Queen’s cortege staffing arrangements revealed
The Courier has now learned that a total of 249 council workers came forward.
They worked a shift from 8am until 4pm.
The bill for the overtime came to £49,147 – an average of £197 per worker.
It has not been confirmed whether the council will be reimbursed for this cash, but both Buckingham Palace and the Scottish Government said it was a matter for the local authority.
Dundee City Council says the number of stewards deployed along the dual carriageway was important for maintaining the safety of mourners.
A spokesperson said: “Approximately 40,000 people gathered along the Kingsway to witness the journey of the cortege through the city.
“The number of stewards deployed was consistent with the detailed planning undertaken over many years by the council in conjunction with, and agreed by, multi-agency partners to ensure the safety of mourners at all times.
“Stewards helped to monitor crowds and maintain safe zones between people and traffic throughout the day.
“Due to Dundee’s role in the cortege passing through the city, it was vital to deploy a level of stewarding along the Kingsway capable of maintaining safety for all.”
People started gathering along the Kingsway several hours before the cortege arrived.
Many waited with camp chairs, flags and other memorabilia – with hundreds of children among those watching on.
There was confusion for drivers on the Kingsway in the days after – as it emerged temporary speed limit signs put up for the cortege were too sticky to remove.
Council leader John Alexander said the employees were there to support a “large-scale policing operation”.
He added: “There was no knowing how many members of the public would turn up and because Dundee was one of the few places that you could see the cortege up close, estimates of attendance were projected up to hundreds of thousands, as people travelled to Dundee from outwith.”
“As it was, there was a significant turnout on the day.
“In this instance, it would have been much worse had officers underestimated the need for volunteers and there were problems on the day.
“Thankfully, the event passed without incident, and I would want to thank all of those volunteers for their efforts.
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