MARK McLAUGHLIN
Edinburgh Evening News
4 May 2010
Anger at Provost's 150-mile jaunt so taxpayers can buy him tartan of his football favourites
Provost denies trip to buy kilt a waste of money
A FOOTBALL-LOVING Lord Provost has come under fire after making a 150-mile round trip to buy a kilt on expenses.
Provost Adam Montgomery, pictured, racked up a £60 mileage claim to purchase the £890 garment from McCallum Highland Wear of Kilmarnock.
The kilt, designed for Kilmarnock Football Club, was also charged to the taxpayer. Mr Montgomery is Midlothian Lord Provost and today Midlothian Council's SNP group, led by SNP parliamentary candidate Colin Beattie, said his trip was excessive and wasteful.
But Provost Montgomery said he had "**** all" to answer for.
He said: "I am the lowest paid Lord Provost in Scotland. I received my P60 last month and I earned a total of £15,300 last year.
"I'm allowed £2,000 in expenses for clothes.
"Edinburgh's Lord Provost is allowed £5,000 for clothing and his wife is allowed £2,000, whereas my wife gets nothing so I don't feel the need to explain myself.
"When I travel to international functions I have to pay to take my wife with me whereas Edinburgh's Lady Provost travels on expenses, which I think is perfectly acceptable, but it's a right that my wife and I do not enjoy.
"Have a look at what other Lord Provosts get and you will see that I am the lowest paid so I've got **** all to explain to the SNP group, and you can quote me on every word of that." He said he had made the trip to a Kilmarnock kiltmaker as he wanted the Kilmarnock FC tartan - having been a lifelong supporter of the club - and it was the only place he could get it.
And he insisted the kilt had been for official functions, including a twinning visit to France, and was well-within his clothing budget.
On the issue of charging for the trip, Provost Montgomery said that he had actually made two trips - once to get fitted, and again to collect the kilt - but had only charged for one of them. The issue is set to be raised at the next meeting of Midlothian Council, with opposition councillors claiming he should have used a local kiltmaker.
Provost Montgomery insisted he had done nothing wrong. He said: "I put in a shift every month for Midlothian so the SNP want to get a grip of themselves and grow up. "I needed the kilt for my visit to France to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the twinning of Saint Cyr L'Ecole with Bonnyrigg and Lasswade, and I will be wearing it to the 50th anniversary celebrations of Dalkeith's twinning with Jarnac later this year.
"I wanted the Kilmarnock tartan because I am a Kilmarnock supporter, I was born in Kilmarnock and it was the only place I could get the tartan. Where I was born and what colour tartan I wear should not be an issue.
"I could have chosen the Montgomery tartan, which would also have been appropriate, but I wanted something a little bit different."
Midlothian SNP group leader Colin Beattie has pledged to raise the issue of Provost Montgomery's trip, which took place in April last year, at the next Midlothian Council meeting in June.
He said: "I don't have a clue what he needs his own tailor made kilt for. If it's coming out of the official expenses I assume it's for use in official functions but I've never seen him wearing a kilt.
"Also, if it's tailor-made to his measurements it will be no good to the next provost so it could end up having a very short official shelf life. "It's a terrible waste of money during these times of austerity.
"I'm not arguing against the principle of a clothing allowance for the Provost, but did he really have to travel to Kilmarnock to buy it?
"There are one or two good kiltmakers in Midlothian. Why not go to one of them?
"You would think, as Provost, he would want to showcase the best of Midlothian rather than go elsewhere."
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