So, in a vain attempt to save some cash the new administration in Auld Reekie has reinstated the soup and sandwich lunchtime menu for the city's elected representatives with an "honesty box" for the city's Cooncillors to deposit nominal amounts in payment for their heavily publicly subsidised lunchtime menu.
The only problem is that so far the "honesty box" is returning a quarter of what it should be because of oversights by the councillors in not paying for their meals, meaning that the savings have failed to materialise.
Now, there isn't much that Mr Smith can say other than that a) councillors in Scotland are earning more than they ever have done before on a basic salary of £15,000 a year, b) they also get to reclaim "subsistence costs" for any food they are obliged to buy whilst on official business, so c) by not coughing up the money if they claim for it they are in effect defrauding the council tax payers of Edinburgh which Chief Inspector Rebus of Edinburgh C.I.D. might want to have a look at.
Either way Mr Smith was intrigued to read the comment from council leader Jenny Dawe who said: " ... The members' lounge has become a bit like a morgue ..." So what's changed then Jenny?
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