Former Marketing Edinburgh board accused of throwing 'hissy fit' as row intensifies

Members of the board of Marketing Edinburgh who resigned en-masse in November have been blasted for “throwing a hissy fit” after the council decided to reject funding for the organisation last year.

In the latest instalment of an ongoing political battle within the council with members of the previous board, which included councillors Lezley Cameron, Sue Webber, and Lord Provost Frank Ross, were blasted by a senior council insider for their actions following their resignation.

It follows questions being raised at a full council meeting about the award of £200,000 to the council-owned company, a decision made in private.

The insider told the Evening News that it was time the previous board took responsibility for their actions.

They said: “The supposed business experience and skills of some of the previous board members should really be scrutinised and they should take some responsibility for their actions in regards to Marketing Edinburgh.

“To throw a hissy fit and resign when they were given full opportunity to bring a plan to the table has been really really unhelpful.”

The comments came after Conservative chairman Jason Rust asked the council to ensure that staff contracts at Marketing Edinburgh will be honoured in full.

Conservative Group Chairman Jason Rust said, “Not least given the Labour and SNP policy of no compulsory redundancies for the Council’s own workforce, one would hope that where redundancies are to be made in an arms-length organisation that contractual agreements are honoured in full.

"Legally, ethically and for the sake of the Council’s reputation this needs to happen.

“There is a complete lack of transparency around this matter and simply throwing stones at the previous board when hundreds of thousands of taxpayers pounds are at stake is ridiculous. Answers are needed.”

It is understood, however, that the £200,000 payment to Marketing Edinburgh which was approved by the Council’s Finance and Resources committee last week in private, will go towards paying for the enhanced redundancy packages promised within employee’s contracts.

The cash will also be used to pay subvention costs for future conferences, and provide the current board, which includes councillors Kate Campbell, Mandy Watt and Claire Miller, to pay any redundancy payments if needed.

The money is also required to allow the organisation to put together a plan for self-sustainability and ensure its continuation beyond the end of the year and the retention of as many jobs as possible while operating on a smaller scale.

Members of the board who resigned in Edinburgh said they left the company in a position with enough money to be wound up, with all future redundancy payments covered, and said the £200,000 was only awarded due to delays by the current board.

Councillor Sue Webber, a former board member, labelled the language used by the inside as "petulant".

She said: "The previous board of Marketing Edinburgh consisted of a diverse range of experienced experts and professionals from across the business, tourism and hospitality industry.

“These comments are outrageous, petulant and childish. The decision the Board took to resign was unanimous given the decision the council made not to support the strategic plan for the organisation"

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