Councillors in Aberdeen are going to have to fight over who gets to read the newspapers available in their council building lounge following a slashing of the numbers being bought.
As part of widespread cost-cutting, the LibDem/SNP administration has decided to stop taking several daily newspapers for its 43 councillors.
Missing – from Monday – from the councillors' lounge will be copies of the Daily Record, The Scottish Sun, the Scottish Daily Mail, The Times, the Daily Telegraph and the FT…. unless they are bought by the councillors themselves.
However, there will be still the same three copies of the Press and Journal, the same two copies of the Evening Express and the same one copy each of The Herald and The Scotsman.
Council head, Sue Bruce, has told councillors that funds are so low, the administration is desperately looking to save money in every quarter by any means.
Granite City councillors will also no longer get complimentary 'rowies' – a local delicacy – or fruit, but they will still be able to quench their thirst with complimentary tea and coffee.
The need for prudence was highlighted in a statement on Aberdeen City Council website regarding a new business plan for the administration. It read: “Aberdeen City Council is taking the wise and business-like step of planning for the serious economic challenges faced by the public sector over the next few years.
“Work is underway to develop a new business plan for the Council for the next five years.
“We are looking at everything we spend and building a new budget based on the key priorities we must deliver for the people of Aberdeen.
“All the evidence suggests however, that we will have to achieve this with significantly less money over the coming years.”
The expected saving from the newspaper cutbacks is an estimated £1336 per annum.
