Edinburgh’s Lord Provost may have to sell his prized number plate under proposals aimed at boosting the council’s finances.
Under a proposed plan by the Edinburgh Greens, the ‘S0′ number plate which has been valued at £500,000 would be put up for sale.
In addition, a selection of the council’s “most useless assets” would also be sold off.
The measures are a part of the party’s manifesto ahead of the council elections on May 3 and are a reaction to the difficult budgetary constraints set out for the next five years.
The Greens have stated that they would enforce a review of civic assets with no practical use.
The S0 number plate is currently displayed on Lord Provost George Grubb’s BMW 7 and would be one of the most sought-after registrations in the UK if it went on sale.
“With council funding being cut and public facilities being closed down, now is the right time to sell off the council’s truly useless assets and raise much needed funds,” explained Green councillor Steve Burgess.
“Any council hoarding a number plate worth half a million pounds has got its priorities wrong.”
When number plates were first issued in 1903, Scotland was allocated the prefix ‘S’.
The registration ‘S1′ would have been allocated to the Lord Provost’s car, but the city’s leaders were too slow in purchasing the license.
“Different things have to be looked at in terms of savings and this could be explored,” added councillor Jason Rust, Tory economic development spokesman.
The city’s Labour party leader, Andrew Burns, stated: “Frankly there are much bigger issues facing the city, but if there is a proposal brought forward to auction the plates it’s something we’d consider.”
Although, a council spokeswoman revealed that “the number plates are of historical value to the city” and they have no plans to sell them.
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