West Dunbartonshire council has pushed ahead with plans to buy a £24,000 oil painting at the same time as planning cuts to vital services.
The cultural committee on the SNP-led local authority ignored criticisms and agreed to purchase “Evelick” by artist Alison Watt.
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: “Splashing out more than £24,000 on a painting at a time when thousands of people in the area are staring down the barrel of a cost of living crisis is appalling. It shows this SNP council is completely out of touch with the hard-working, hard-pressed people in our communities.
“They are tone deaf to the needs of people in the area, spending exorbitant sums on pieces of art while families are faced with the choice of heating their homes or putting food on the table as everyday costs rocket.”
As revealed by the Record this week, the committee was supposed to discuss the acquisition last week but a meeting did not take place.
An email had been sent to councillors about an “urgent item of business” which was “at the request” of Councillor Denis Agnew, who chairs the committee.
Attached was an image of the Watt painting, with a price tag of £24,000 excluding VAT.
A spokesperson for the council said of the rearranged committee meeting today: “The committee met this morning as planned and the acquisition was approved.”
It is understood the total cost is £24,000 and the artwork is expected to be hung in the Gallery at Clydebank Town Hall.
A source said a Labour amendment opposing the purchase was not taken.
The decision comes in spite of West Dunbartonshire facing a £5.5m funding gap.
A list of cuts options were presented to councillors last week, including fees for brown bin collections and reducing the number of pupils who qualify for school travel.
Also on the table are options for charging over 65s and disabled people for a garden maintenance service they currently receive for nothing, and reducing the number of school crossing patrollers.
Plans to close public toilets and remove elderly welfare grants were also flagged up.
Child poverty has continued to rise over the past six years in West Dunbartonshire – with an extra 500 young people forced to live in poverty during that period.
A report from last year estimated that 4189 children in the council area live in poverty.
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