Should Barrhead town councillors get what amounts to be a clothing subsidy?
That is the question Barrhead town councillors debated last week.
After all was said and done the answer was yes.
But the question we put to our readers - was it the right decision?
Martin Taylor, Barrhead’s chief administrative officer, said a councillor’s job is not only to make decisions, but to promote our community at home and away.
And by wearing clothing with the town’s logo at functions at home and away, councillors are indeed promoting the town.
In the grand scheme of things, $100 isn’t a lot of money. Even if the entire council took advantage and spent right up to their limit it would only cost the town an extra $700 annually, a drop in the bucket in a corporation with a multi-million budget.
Not that the town should be just giving away money, but it can be argued that $700 is a small expense and one that could potentially benefit Barrhead ten fold by promoting the community.
The problem is it is difficult to quantify how much of an impact this type of advertising actually has. And if you look at all the different policies municipalities have on the issue it is something others have struggled to quantify as well.
Barrhead town councillors are not alone in receiving a clothing subsidy.
Many businesses either give or subsidize employees’ uniforms or other clothing apparel that highlights their business, as does the Town of Barrhead. The clothing allowance council voted on is one the rest of the town’s workers are already eligible for.
By definition that’s what any municipal councillors are - employees with a slightly different selection process. Instead of submitting their application to the town and being interviewed by a department head, councillors go through a different application process. One where their application is hopefully, scrutinized very carefully at election time.
As town employees they should be able to take advantage of any program or initiative that is offered, including a clothing subsidy. The real question is should the town subsidize any of their employee’s clothing costs?
So what do you think? Tell us by responding to the Leader’s poll question, ‘Do you think it was right for town councillors to approve the policy giving them the same $100 clothing allowance other town employees receive?’
