The Sunday Herald reports that COSLA, the "representative voice" of Scottish local government, has given a four fold increase in the amount of allowances it pays it to councillors who are its office holders. For instance it has doubled the number of Vice Presidents from two to four and more than doubled the allowances paid to Vice Presidents from £7,000 to £15,000 a time. It looks a bit like twice the money for half the work, doesn't it? This, of course, is in addition to the allowance they get direct from their own Councils. Not exactly sensitive as the private sector faces a painful recession.
I'm not sure how many meetings they are supposed to turn up to in order to get this COSLA money. According to the website page on its structure there is a Convention which meets four times a year. The other question is regardless of how many meetings they go to what practical benefits are provided by COSLA.