Lothian Buses interim boss won't be stripped of potential £45,000 bonus

Lothian Buses’ interim Managing Director Nigel Serafini has avoided being stripped of a potential £45,000 bonus.

On Thursday, Edinburgh City Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee voted against a Liberal Democrats motion amendment, backed by the Conservatives, seeking to revoke the bus chief’s bonus in light of the coronavirus pandemic and its financial consequences.

The amendment also would have seen two Lothian Buses directors lose their positions on the board to be replaced by new appointments.

Lothian Buses has seen a significant hit to its income due to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown, and has furloughed many of its employees.

Council Leader Adam McVey told the meeting that instead of accepting the Liberal Democrats amendment he “will write to the board of Lothian Buses asking them to reconsider the inclusion of a bonus and take the first opportunity to remove this aspect of renumeration when making a permanent appointment.”

Cllr McVey told the meeting: “We do share some of the frustration on the bonus. There’s now only three people in the entire public transport infrastructure who have bonuses. That’s a huge improvement on the situation before… I have a great deal of sympathy with the position that has been moved by the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives. I think what we need is much more of a conversation with Lothian Buses. We can’t just put in the bin the entire recruitment process that they went through. I’m not convinced that we can very easily and quickly disaggregate it all. However, I am happy to make a representation to the board on our position. I’m going to try and amalgamate as much of at least the spirit in the text of the Liberal Democrats and Conservative position as I can in ours and come in to a position that hopefully is acceptable.”

SNP, Green and Labour members parties all voted against the amendment.

Conservative transport spokesperson Susan Webber said: “Everyone in the city loves and supports Lothian Buses and it’s key that we see this organisation come out stronger from the pandemic crisis. As came with many of the amendments and suggestions yesterday at the policy and sustainability committee, I feel disheartened that yet again the SNP and Labour minority administration refuse to see the opportunities that would come from reviewing and accepting amendment such as this, which have widespread public support.”

Cllr Kevin Lang, who moved the original amendment, tweeted: “Sorry my amendment with Susan Webber to try and force a different approach in Lothian Buses wasn’t successful today. Still hope Lothian Buses MD will publicly commit to not taking a bonus if offered.”