For heaven’s sake.
Why is it that even when we’re in the middle of a recession and everyone is belt tightening, that a man who is at the centre of a controversy about living the life of Reilly on public money, and who has resigned “due to ill heath” (yawn), is getting a big fat pay off of £60,000 in 'an attempt to draw a line under the expenses scandal'.... WHAT?
Ron Culley, who was on an unbelievable £129,000-a-year as head of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, resigned “on health grounds” in February after being caught in the middle of the fiddle of expenses by directors and executives which included trips to places as far afield as China, India, Italy and the United States.
All that to run the buses in Glasgow!!!
The SPT said then: "We can confirm that our chief executive is seeking early retirement on the basis of failing health and wants to retire to look after his young family." It now says that the payoff respects his employment rights.
The figure includes £30,000 in lieu of notice and £30,000
for early termination of contract. Why? HE SOUGHT IT. HE SHOULD BE COMPENSATING US.
Opposition councillors on the SPT have said that as Culley resigned he should leave with nothing more than his pension. It is reckoned that they will oppose the payment.
Culley quit in February after it was revealed that senior officials managed to claim expense of almost £120,000 in just three years. Culley himself claimed expenses, for meals in some of Scotland’s top restaurants, as well as £1,700 for taxi journeys. (Erm, he was running the busses and trains and he took taxis.... Says all you need to know!)
On one memorable occasion the bold boy flew to New York at a cost of £2,450 and stayed at the Algonquin Hotel for six nights for £1,650 to investigate anti-terrorist measures. As a result of his fact finding trip concrete bollards were put outside some Subway stations. Now if the wee man had just asked me......
The new SPT chairman Jonathan Findlay said: “This proposal, subject to the approval of the personnel committee, will bring this long-running saga to a close. It allows us to move on, to draw a line under the issue and most importantly give staff assurances about their future.” Just what you want to do, I imagine, Jonathan.
We live in a lunatic world. A bloke can fiddle and allow his senior executives to fiddle, to take trips, flying first class to a wide variety of locations staying at top hotels, eating and drinking like Prince Charles, and all to find out what 10 minutes of research on the net would have got him.
When this comes to light (after 3 years...why?), he is asked to explain himself and he takes the tried and tested 'sick' route. He resigns for ill health, and we have to give him half a year’s salary to compensate him!
You really have to ask yourself what would have happened if this had been some shelf filler lad working in Tesco who had been stuffing Mars Bars into his pocket; and got caught; and went off sick out of embarrassment and then resigned to look after his young family.
What would have happened then? Would Tesco have paid him half a year’s salary? Would they Erchie!!!!
Pictures: Culley and (because trains are cool) two Class 334 "Juniper" trains at Gourock. (And no, I'm not a train spotter. All blokes like trains.)
Why is it that even when we’re in the middle of a recession and everyone is belt tightening, that a man who is at the centre of a controversy about living the life of Reilly on public money, and who has resigned “due to ill heath” (yawn), is getting a big fat pay off of £60,000 in 'an attempt to draw a line under the expenses scandal'.... WHAT?
Ron Culley, who was on an unbelievable £129,000-a-year as head of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, resigned “on health grounds” in February after being caught in the middle of the fiddle of expenses by directors and executives which included trips to places as far afield as China, India, Italy and the United States.
All that to run the buses in Glasgow!!!
The SPT said then: "We can confirm that our chief executive is seeking early retirement on the basis of failing health and wants to retire to look after his young family." It now says that the payoff respects his employment rights.
The figure includes £30,000 in lieu of notice and £30,000
for early termination of contract. Why? HE SOUGHT IT. HE SHOULD BE COMPENSATING US.Opposition councillors on the SPT have said that as Culley resigned he should leave with nothing more than his pension. It is reckoned that they will oppose the payment.
Culley quit in February after it was revealed that senior officials managed to claim expense of almost £120,000 in just three years. Culley himself claimed expenses, for meals in some of Scotland’s top restaurants, as well as £1,700 for taxi journeys. (Erm, he was running the busses and trains and he took taxis.... Says all you need to know!)
On one memorable occasion the bold boy flew to New York at a cost of £2,450 and stayed at the Algonquin Hotel for six nights for £1,650 to investigate anti-terrorist measures. As a result of his fact finding trip concrete bollards were put outside some Subway stations. Now if the wee man had just asked me......
The new SPT chairman Jonathan Findlay said: “This proposal, subject to the approval of the personnel committee, will bring this long-running saga to a close. It allows us to move on, to draw a line under the issue and most importantly give staff assurances about their future.” Just what you want to do, I imagine, Jonathan.
We live in a lunatic world. A bloke can fiddle and allow his senior executives to fiddle, to take trips, flying first class to a wide variety of locations staying at top hotels, eating and drinking like Prince Charles, and all to find out what 10 minutes of research on the net would have got him.
When this comes to light (after 3 years...why?), he is asked to explain himself and he takes the tried and tested 'sick' route. He resigns for ill health, and we have to give him half a year’s salary to compensate him!
You really have to ask yourself what would have happened if this had been some shelf filler lad working in Tesco who had been stuffing Mars Bars into his pocket; and got caught; and went off sick out of embarrassment and then resigned to look after his young family.
What would have happened then? Would Tesco have paid him half a year’s salary? Would they Erchie!!!!
Pictures: Culley and (because trains are cool) two Class 334 "Juniper" trains at Gourock. (And no, I'm not a train spotter. All blokes like trains.)
Such is life on a Quango. Bastards.
ReplyDeleteOch, did naebody ask you tae be on one Rab? LOL
ReplyDeleteWell, look on the bright side. Just think of the company you'd have to keep. Would that not make your toes curl?
It is nice to know that Labour run Glasgow can afford these expensive "experts" despite being THE poorest place in the entire United Kingdom.
ReplyDeleteWhere do I apply under equal opportunities legislation to get a share of that bamboo?
ReplyDeleteAt least his grace the Baron of Springburn will not need to yield his chauffer driven limo to go visit job centres thanks to the gravy train of the house of doddering old farts. No danger of seeing him and his good taxi going lady on anything run by Strathclyde Passanger Transit is there?
ReplyDeleteMunguin:
ReplyDeleteGreed, more greed and then some more greed... and just look at how some of the people of Glasgow live after all these years of Labour domination.
And after 12 years of Gordon getting rid of bust, and just ahving boom, none of it got anywhere near Springburn and the likes. Not a bloody red cent.
Bugger. Start by joining the Labour party.
ReplyDelete