South Lanarkshire Council employees are in line for an extended Christmas holiday.
Officers and employees who would normally work between Christmas and New Year will be allowed off on Friday, December 27, after proposals to close council offices were approved.
A report to the council’s executive committee on Wednesday, May 1, recommended that offices remain closed on the Friday rather than open for one day and close again over the weekend.
In the report, Paul Manning, executive director for finance and corporate resources, said: “In recent years the council has maintained all council offices and services being open and available over the festive period on any days which are not public holidays.
“Some limited services are delivered during the public holidays but generally offices are closed.
“The proposal is that the main council offices would be closed and that executive directors be empowered to take decisions on other premises in consultation with the trade unions after consideration of service needs.”
However, some Labour members, including Councillor Gerry Convery (East Kilbride Central South), felt the consultation with council workers was insufficient.
Labour group leader, Cllr Joe Fagan (East Kilbride Central North) said: “How did we go about the consultations? Are the trade unions happy?”
Cllr Convery added: “Has the workforce been consulted?”
Mr Manning responded: “The consultation was led through the head of HR.
“As per normal, the trade union conveners were consulted.”
Normally, the trade union convener would then consult the council workforce about the proposals and council leader Cllr John Ross was confident this would have been the case.
A former trade union convener himself, Cllr Ross added: “I imagine the same process would take place.”
Employees affected will have to use one day’s annual leave in order to take Friday, December 27 off.
