Council staff in Aberdeen have been put on alert to expect a deluge of complaints as letters promoting a “No” vote in the Scottish independence referendum are sent out.
The controversial material will be mailed with more than 110,000 council tax bills and 6,500 business rate demands – prompting concern from officials about a public backlash.
The opposition SNP and Liberal Democrat groups tried unsuccessfully to block the correspondence from leader Barney Crockett, which states in the opening paragraph that Aberdeen is “stronger now and will be stronger in the future” as a partner within the United Kingdom.
The Press and Journal understands that senior legal officials advised the Labour-led coalition against the move in private session at an urgent business committee meeting on Tuesday.
Yesterday, chief executive Valerie Watts took the unusual step of writing to every worker at the local authority to warn of an expected reaction from residents due to the “controversy” surrounding the decision.
Mrs Watts said: “I fully appreciate that we all have our own views on the current constitutional debate, but when it comes to the business of council it is for us as officers to provide advice which allows the members to take their decisions. I also appreciate that it is likely that we will receive a number of comments and complaints from members of the public in relation to the circulation of the letter.”
Mrs Watts said her office would respond to all comments or complaints.
Last night, a statement from the SNP and Lib Dem group leaders said the chief executive had been put in an “impossible” position.
SNP group leader Callum McCaig said: “This is completely unprecedented. I can’t recall the chief executive writing to all staff to explain what to do with what will be a deluge of complaints.
“It is incredibly unfair for frontline council staff, who will have a range of views on independence but will have to justify the actions of councillors Crockett and Young.”
Labour group secretary Willie Young said: “This is an operational matter and, as such, it is a matter for the chief executive.
“I have been criticised in the past, I think unfairly, for interfering in operational matters, but I think this just shows the council is working as it should.”