An Angus councillor has stepped down from a Tartan Day working group in disgust at the decision to pay the Red Hot Chilli Pipers more than £3,000 to perform for black tie guests.
Mark Salmond said he could not support the spending of Angus taxpayers’ money for the 30-minute spot by the kilted ensemble at the 2012 Connections Dinner at the Carnoustie Golf Hotel.
The Courier can reveal that the working group booked the Red Hot Chilli Pipers after throwing out the suggestion of booking Blazin’ Brass from Carnoustie as it would have been ”inappropriate”.
Mr Salmond told The Courier: ”I’ve been working for the past two months to try to persuade my working group that this wasn’t possibly the best idea in the current economic climate on how we should be spending taxpayers’ money. I was the lone voice in the group and unfortunately I could not persuade them and the act has been booked.
”As the convener responsible for finance, morally I can’t support the spending of council taxpayers’ money in this way. I have worked very hard over the last five years in Angus to bring forward well thought out and competent budgets to protect the front-line services as far as I possibly can.
”Morally for me to pay over £3,000 to bring in entertainers for a 30-minute performance is a step too far for me and I personally could not have justified that to any member of the public. There was just no way in a million years I was going to accept this decision so I have tendered my resignation.
”I support Tartan Week and I think it’s fantastic for Angus, but my main problem was with the payment of a professional act. I suggested that there were many talented amateurs in Angus that we could use to showcase what Angus has to offer but it was put to me that, given the VIP guests that were attending, it would be inappropriate to have amateurs and we would really need professionals.”
The working group also includes Provost Ruth Leslie Melville, council leader Bob Myles and Councillor David May.
The black tie dinner is part of the council’s programme of events and celebrations and will feature guests such as US Consul General Dana Linnet.
Angus Alliance councillor Peter Nield said he knew nothing about the working group and was furious when he found out about the Red Hot Chilli Pipers being booked.
He said: ”It is a sad affair. To snub local talent is awful. As an Alliance member we knew nothing about the Tartan Day sub-committee that Councillor Salmond was on. We never received copies of the minutes and I was furious when I found out about the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and made my own inquiries.
”As the education convener I wanted to know why the Carnoustie award-winning brass band was not used, which includes a significant number of children. I then was told by a leading member of the Alliance that he and an officer from the economic development department had agreed they were not good enough. I find this insulting.”
Arbroath councillor Jim Millar said: ”I back Councillor Salmond’s decision to step down from the steering group. Balancing the books is becoming increasingly difficult, and I find it hard to justify spending money on this at a time when the task of delivering core services is becoming extremely challenging.
”I support the Tartan Day celebrations but money spent on them must be for events that are accessible to all.”
Angus Provost Ruth Leslie Melville said: ”The Tartan Day Connections Dinner brings together an eclectic and influential, international audience to celebrate the very best of Scotland. I am immensely proud that Angus hosts this prestigious event, as are the local, national and international companies that support it. It is testimony to the value of the event that even in these especially difficult financial times they have the business acumen to recognise the unique opportunity it offers to promote Angus’ vision and confidence and celebrate Scotland’s success and talent.
”My pride in Angus has increased dramatically in the last five years when as provost I have experienced the depth and breadth of creativity and enterprise in the county. Angus has a unique place in the Tartan Day celebrations and in our communities the very best of our local talent will be out in force.
”The Red Hot Chilli Pipers are wonderful entertainers and fantastic ambassadors for Scotland.”
It’s not the first time musicians, Angus Council, Tartan Day and a £3,000 bill have hit the headlines. In 2005, Laura McGhee was at the centre of a wrangle over the cost of her involvement in Tartan Day celebrations.
Two opposition councillors questioned the £3,000 bill for sending the violinist to New York to play. It came as members of the strategic policy committee were asked to support the outlay on the Monifieth musician’s trip to perform her own composition, The Arbroath Suite, in Times Square and under the Statue of Liberty.
Councillors were told Laura would showcase her work at Arbroath Abbey at sunset on April 4 and at sunrise on April 6 on Liberty Island.
At the time, independent councillor Bob Myles, who is now on the Tartan Day working group, said: ”I am all for promoting talent but I feel £3,000 for sending one person along seems excessive.”
He said shelling out the cash had to be seen against the background of expense faced by parents in Angus keen to see their offspring learn music.
SNP councillor Alex King defended the spending as ”well worth it”.
The committee finally agreed to spend the cash.
Photo by Joe Giddens/PA Wire