Lesley Quinn, City Building business development manager should be sacked, business model under review for failure to attract private sector contracts

Dear All

The Labour controlled quango City Building spent nearly £50,000 on freebies for senior managers, councillors and business contacts in just two years.

City Building (Glasgow) LLP, was founded by the Labour-run Glasgow City Council, not for the benefit for the citizens of Glasgow but for the benefit of themselves.

Created by Labour, staff by Labour for the benefit of Labour!

We now find out that besides directly funnelling cash to the Labour Party, the Labour Party members run organisation is particularly generous to each other.

They have lavished thousands on sporting dinners, football matches, charity events and pop concerts.

And the money for that publicly funded organisation is coming from you via your taxes.

Senior managers have attended gigs at Hampden Park by Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Take That, the excuse given was that it would help generate new business.

Ever heard of a business meeting at a Pop Concert where people are sitting in the audience?

The people of Glasgow have been treated like mugs.

I suppose the sickest laugh is City Building’s entire business model is now under review because it failed to deliver on its key goal of attracting private sector contracts.

Lesley Quinn, ex general secretary of the Labour Party in Scotland is their first business development manager.

She was appointed to a job that wasn’t advertised prior to that she was general secretary of the Labour Party (Scottish region) based Glasgow from 1999.

So, why didn’t City Building secure external work?

Could be that Lesley Quinn just isn’t good enough?

So, just how good have they been to themselves at City Building using your money?

Very good!

53 events attended by senior staff including awards ceremonies, charity dinners, burns suppers, football matches and concerts.

City Building’s finance director, John Foley 36 events,

Managing director Willie Docherty 28 events,

Director of corporate services Steve Kelly 27 events,

Director of operations Graeme Paterson 20 events,

November 2008, City Building spent £2112 of your hard earned money taking 24 people to the Scottish Football Association Hall of Fame dinner in Glasgow.

15 of the 24 were Labour councillors but only four were from the private sector.

Remember they said that the hospitality expense was drum up extra business, so 20 people needed to entertain 4!

So, here is a question, how many events did Lesley Quinn attend in her capacity as business development manager?

If she attended none, this throws up serious questions given her remit to generate new business.

There is going to be a review by the Glasgow Labour Council of shame into their Aleos (arms length organisations) that review should recommend that all Aleos are returned to full Glasgow City Council control, along with their staff.

I suspect the review is more an exercise into how the Labour Party members in quangos cover up their tracks better.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University