COUNCIL bosses have been accused of running Aberdeen like bungling TV traders Del Boy and Rodney Trotter.
The claim was made at a stormy public meeting over £27 million of council cuts where it was revealed more than 300 jobs could go.
And there was even a warning that users of threatened social support services had spoken of suicide.
Graham Tran, local boss with craft union Amicus, said council leaders were “behaving as though they are the newly-appointed directors to Trotters International Trading”.
Labour group leader Len Ironside branded potential job losses as a “horrendous example of the mismanagement of the city’s finances”.
The city council has faced a backlash over moves to close Bon Accord Baths and Doonies Farm, and mothball the Lynx Ice Rink – part of a plan to save £27 million.
As revealed in the Evening Express, the council is looking to axe posts as part of swingeing budget cuts announced last month.
At a public meeting held in the Trades Council’s social club in the Adelphi last night, more than 100 protesters turned up to oppose the cuts and pledged to take their case to the streets by holding a march in the city on April 5.
A further demonstration will take place on May 3.
Labour group secretary Willie Young said: “We estimate that upwards of 300 staff could be forced to take either voluntary or statutory redundancy following the administration’s transformation policies.”
A spokesman for the Lib-Dem/SNP council said the “starting figure” would be “nowhere near 300”.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Neil Fletcher was jeered as he argued a lack of money had forced the council to prioritise its spending – and even said he would support a protest march.
He said: “If we received the same average funding as other councils in Scotland we could reduce the council tax by 20-25%.
“I am not a fan of these cuts. I would like to see thousands march on Union Street.
“I would hope that we can all join together instead of fighting amongst ourselves and call on the central government to give Aberdeen more of its own money back.”
When asked about jobs, he said: “I don’t think we should have to have compulsory redundancies. We are crying out for staff in Aberdeen, there’s such low unemployment.”
T&G union spokesman Tommy Campbell told Cllr Fletcher: “You have to accept responsibility because you are a collective architect of these cuts.
“I think the message should be clear – the fight-back starts here.”
Valerie Taylor, from Bridge of Don, said she did not know how she was going to cope when a day respite centre – which her husband uses – closed in June.
She said: “Two of the service users said that they think they would end up committing suicide if Choices was closed.
City MPs Frank Doran and Anne Begg have organised a meeting at the Arts Centre on March 21 – and have invited council leaders to attend.
kduguid@ajl.co.uk