LOCAL councils in Scotland, including the City of Edinburgh Council, have shelled out nearly £63m on “golden goodbye” exit packages for high-earning members of staff.
Research into the annual accounts of local authorities in Scotland by the Scottish Conservatives has revealed that the amount spent by councils on exit packages worth over £100,000 topped £21m last year and £63 million since 2022.
North Lanarkshire Council topped the list with more than £15m distributed, followed by Glasgow City Council, with more than £11m spent.
The City of Edinburgh Council did not distribute nearly as much, with just £1.1m being divided among high-earning employees.
The City Chambers in Edinburgh, where the City of Edinburgh Counil is based, and from where £1.1 million on large exit packages was dispensed (C) Kim Traynor / Wikimedia Commons
The Scottish Conservatives, who gathered the data, described the council workers who were in receipt of payouts as “fat cats” who are “wasting” public money.
Scottish Conservative shadow finance and local government secretary Craig Hoy MSP said: “Hard-working Scots who’ve been hammered by rising council taxes will be furious that councils have shelled out millions on golden goodbyes.
“Our local services are at breaking point, but instead of fixing the issues that actually matter, council bosses are allowing the bill for public-sector payouts to balloon.
“Taxpayers are sick of SNP- and Labour-run councils spending their money on the wrong priorities while our frontline services are on their knees.”
This comes just after Cosla, the umbrella organisation for Scottish Councils called for £16bn in funding from the Scottish Government to ensure no vital services are cut.
Council leaders warned that vital services may have to be cut if no additional funding is forthcoming.
The Scottish Government’s finance minister, Shone Robison, will set the new Scottish budget on 13 January, her announcement having been delayed by UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ late statement.
It was also revealed in the Conservatives’ research that the amount paid out in large packages has increased from £12.6m in 2022-23 to £21.9m in 2024-25.
According to the figures, North Lanarkshire Council spent the most on large payouts over the four-year period, handing out more than £15.4m, followed by Glasgow City Council, which spent £11.3m and Renfrewshire Council, which distributed £7.9m.
The City of Edinburgh Council paid out £1.3m, Aberdeen Council spent £3.9m, and Stirling Council distributed £2.7m in “golden goodbyes”.
Six local authorities – Midlothian, West Lothian, East Ayrshire, Orkeney, Shetland, and South Lanarkshire – did not make any payments of over £100,000 for exit packages, according to figures.
Cosla has been approached for comment.
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