Holyrood Plan to ‘Declutter’ the Public Sector Sends Council Into a Frantic Marie Kondo Session
Officials hold up each department and ask: 'Does this spark joy?' Planning 'not answering'.
Perth Sheriff Court, which has been told it is 'probably fine, it's a court'. Photo: Simon Armstrong, “Perth Sheriff Court 2”, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
PERTH — The Scottish Government’s plan to “declutter” the public sector has prompted Perth and Kinross Council to begin decluttering itself pre-emptively, “just to look tidy if anyone comes round.”
“We take each item, thank it for its service, and ask if it sparks joy,” said an officer in rubber gloves, holding up a 2009 strategy. “This does not spark joy. It sparks a mild headache. Into the bag.”
The council’s leadership has asked for a seat in reform talks, and councillors have lined up against greater centralisation. “If they’re going to declutter us,” said one insider, “we’d like to be in the room. Ideally before they put us in a box marked ‘Dundee’.”
Items kept so far include the laminated map of Kinross-shire “for emergencies”. The council’s entire supply of traffic cones has been declared “load-bearing” and exempt. At press time, officials were debating whether the working group on decluttering could itself be decluttered.
The real story: P&K Council leader urges role in talks over Scottish Government plans to 'declutter' the public sector (Daily Record)
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