​City residents come first in fight for Edinburgh Leisure cash - Steve Cardownie

It was interesting to note that the SNP group up at Edinburgh City Chambers attempted to force Edinburgh Leisure to pay the real living wage to its employees, despite the warning that this may result in the closure of some facilities.

June Peebles, CEO of Edinburgh Leisure

​The SNP went so far as threatening that all future funding be conditional on the company ensuring all staff were on the same rate, with one SNP councillor stating that it was the “only lever we had.” In other words, withhold Edinburgh Leisure’s grant from the city’s coffers if it refused to do so.

Now, I understand the motives behind this move, but once alarm bells started ringing in the shape of June Peebles, the CEO of Edinburgh Leisure, stating that the council-funded arm’s-length organisation “wants to pay the real living wage and have previously done so” but that it did not have the funds available to do so this year, you might have thought that a rethink was in order, but apparently not.

That means the SNP was prepared to take the risk of service reductions within Edinburgh Leisure as it sought to bridge what would have been a £473,000 funding gap. This might have meant the reduction in hours of opening or, even worse, the closure of some facilities.

This attempt by the SNP might have been laudable, but once the harsh financial reality was spelled out to them they should have reconsidered.

It is all well and good to try to ensure that employees are paid a decent rate of pay, but as councillors your first and foremost consideration must be given to the residents of the city.