I am perfectly aware that is the case but no government is prepared to allow LAs to borrow in any other way other than PFI.
It is much more about using accounting to make it look like there is less borrowing than there actually is.
In terms of value for money PFI is shit awful.
I didn't say it was a good option but the best option given the lack of available finance.A lot comes down to how projects are specced - some of the major issues have been caused by there being little or no consultation with the users of facilities.
This will be the same type of PFI that the SNP council in Dundee has embraced with open arms?
PFI has been the route of choice for councils of all political colours purely because it reduced the year-to -year capital expenditure and current maintenance expenditure. In the long run it was always going to be the more expensive option but given that councils don't have the money to spend on large building projects then was probably the best option.
The issue here might have happened irrespective of how they were financed - even if they had been entirely publicly funded I suspect there would have still been these problems - the number of government building projects that are not-fit-for-purpose is ridiculous. Private sector businesses would not put up with this crap from other private businesses so why does the public sector put up with it?
They think that all the mainstream parties are as bad as each other - hence they are as happy attacking the SNP as they are Labour. It's pretty typical of the SWP - the real enemy are not the Tories but those parties that follow a democratic progressive route not a revolutionary path.
The area has changed though. Not do long a go it used to be one of the sought-after area to have a flat in - certainly outside of the Ferry/West Ferry/Riverside/Downfield areas.
I don't think you could say that now. I lived in Stobbie around 15 years ago and it had already started to change then.Not quite sure why it has changed so much - possibly buy to let and houses of multiple occupancy, a younger demographic, might be having an influence.