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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 15 August 2025
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Displaying 2341 contributions

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Public Audit Committee

Scottish Government Strategic Commercial Assets Division

Meeting date: 30 May 2024

Willie Coffey

I am probably talking too much about Prestwick, but the need to look beyond the current situation applies to the other investments, too. Given that buyers could potentially come in for any of the assets that we are talking about, does the Government retain a view of what those assets should be and how they should develop in the future? The minute that we hand over an asset to a private owner, they become the owner of that asset and it could change completely. If the Government were to hand an asset over to the private sector, what guarantees or assurances would it seek in order to protect and preserve what has been delivered locally for the economy?

Public Audit Committee

Scottish Government Strategic Commercial Assets Division

Meeting date: 30 May 2024

Willie Coffey

Thank you very much for your answers.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Councillors’ Remuneration and Expenses (Recommendations)

Meeting date: 28 May 2024

Willie Coffey

Thank you very much for those answers.

09:30  

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Councillors’ Remuneration and Expenses (Recommendations)

Meeting date: 28 May 2024

Willie Coffey

Good morning and welcome to you and your colleagues, Angela.

I want to continue on the theme that Martin McElroy was talking about. Did you distinguish between councillors who work full time in another job and councillors who do not? What was the average number of hours for each? In my experience when I was a local councillor from 1992 to 2007, it was almost impossible to do the council job properly. I recall that I had 10 days a year—there was an issue about time off for public duties that was very much at the heart of that. I wonder how councillors who work full time in a job somewhere else can possibly squeeze in 29 hours a week to do their council duties. Did you get a strong message about that issue?

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Councillors’ Remuneration and Expenses (Recommendations)

Meeting date: 28 May 2024

Willie Coffey

Shona, on the point that Pam Gosal raised, what is causing the drift back from online digital participation to in-person attendance? Is it the political party groupings or is it the officials? That was one of the few benefits that saved us during Covid. Digital participation was widespread throughout workplaces in Scotland, and everywhere else for that matter. Who is causing that drift back to in person?

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Councillors’ Remuneration and Expenses (Recommendations)

Meeting date: 28 May 2024

Willie Coffey

Did you make any recommendations on the issue of time off for public duties, on a reciprocal sabbatical salary when people become a councillor or anything like that, or was that outwith the scope of your work?

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Councillors’ Remuneration and Expenses (Recommendations)

Meeting date: 28 May 2024

Willie Coffey

Those were really helpful comments.

Did you find that councillors’ workloads have changed because of the multimember ward arrangements? Have workloads diminished? My experience is that members find themselves even busier than they used to be, because they have to be on their toes most of the time as they now have colleagues in the same ward. Did you have findings in that area?

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Councillors’ Remuneration and Expenses (Recommendations)

Meeting date: 28 May 2024

Willie Coffey

Okay, thanks for that.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Councillors’ Remuneration and Expenses (Recommendations)

Meeting date: 28 May 2024

Willie Coffey

Steven Heddle, have you had any semblance of a discussion about that in your experience?

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Councillors’ Remuneration and Expenses (Recommendations)

Meeting date: 28 May 2024

Willie Coffey

From your point of view, that is a step in the right direction. Many thanks for those answers.