A bitter war of words has erupted over a decision to spend nearly £1 million revamping council headquarters in Perth.
Councillors voted to have meeting rooms at their High Street base shifted from the top floor to ground level at a cost of £850,000.
The move, which had been dubbed a “vanity project” by one critic, was approved at a special meeting of Perth and Kinross Council last week, despite strong resistance from Conservative members.
Now local Tory MSP Murdo Fraser has demanded the SNP-led administration “publicly justify” the decision, amid fears of impending cutbacks.
Last night, council leader Ian Miller defended the move and accused Mr Fraser of a “desperate piece of political posturing”.
Earlier this week, he warned that “nothing will be safe” from cuts expected in the Chancellor’s autumn statement and pledged to fight against job losses.
Mr Fraser, MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, slammed Mr Miller’s administration for “pushing through spending plans to buy new chairs and tables.”
He said: “SNP councillors have some nerve to pontificate about austerity and job losses while at the same time spending big to relocate the council chamber and refit it, a move that seems wholly unnecessary.”
Mr Fraser added: “Local groups and charities that rely on council grants to help support vulnerable residents will be left wondering why the SNP voted to splash the cash on smartening up their offices, whilst they are left struggling for funding.
“The Conservative group at the council voted against these plans and I would urged the SNP to publicly justify this type of spending when budgets are judged to be so tight.”
Mr Miller hit back, saying: “This is a most desperate piece of political posturing from our list MSP as he tries to defend his party’s total mismanagement of the UK economy.
“Let’s look at the facts: Firstly, the ‘austerity’ he mentions is brought about entirely by a Tory party which is consumed by the desire to punish the poorest in society at the same time as protecting their friends in the banking sector.
“The reason why the additional spending on 2 High Street was approved by councillors by 28 votes to eight is that it made good common sense to members of all parties on the council, or at least, to those who were able to vote without political direction from Murdo’s office.”
Mr Miller claimed the Conservative members had been “enthusiastic supporters” of the revamp just days before the vote.