Local Dignitory Pilloried over Pretentious Plate

Yet another local council has come under fire for flouting valuable registration numbers during supposedly austere times.

Aberdeen City Council are under pressure from The Taxpayers' Alliance to auction their prized registration, RG 0, in order to ease the spending budget.

The council's response to the criticism is that selling-off what they describe as part of the city's heritage would represent no more than a short-sighted solution.

According to Councillor Kevin Stewart of the finance and resources committee, "Once you have sold off an asset, that's it. Gone for ever. What we would actually be selling off is part of the history of the city, so I would have to be convinced we would get an amazing price for it, to even consider doing it."

Colleague, Neil Cooney adds: "It's a historical tradition in Aberdeen and we should hold on to as much of our heritage as we can. It is of great sentimental value to the citizens of Aberdeen. I would be opposed to selling it off."

Justification for retaining the RG 0 registration, which dates from 1928, apparently extends beyond its historical significance. The mark is deemed appropriate to the 'prestigious role' of the Lord Provost, whose vehicle the plate adorns.

Predictably, the Taxpayers' Alliance take an alternative view. Mark Wallace, Campaigns Director, considers that, "There's no excuse for councils owning prestige number plates at a time when people are struggling to make ends meet.

"This kind of indulgence reflects the attitude of politicians towards the hard-pressed taxpayer. They should be auctioned off and the proceeds used to directly benefit the communities."

Registration Transfers marketing manager, Angela Banh estimates that RG 0 could fetch £50,000 or more, a sum which the council considers would barely dent their budget deficit.

Finance and resources committee representative, Councillor Ian Yuill, says, "Frankly, anything we would see from a one-off sale of RG 0 would not even be a drop in the ocean."

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