The costs of the Lord Provost’s two new cars

There are two new cars at the City Chambers for use by the Lord Provost, the Depute Lord Provost and also by visiting royalty.

The cars which are driven and maintained by city officers, have been purchased to replace two 11-year-old vehicles.

The cost of £64,620 per vehicle, is lower than the budget in the approved replacement programme for fleet set out in November when the council agreed to spend £56.8m of capital investment on new vehicles. Some of this expenditure was required due to the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in the city centre, with all vehicles (with just a few exemptions) required to comply with emission standards.

The council said the intention is to retain the cars for a period of 10 years so as to achieve maximum benefit from the expenditure.

Civic Regalia

The council also said that due to considerations of security, reliability, and cost, civic cars are the most suitable mode of transportation, throughout the year for the Lord Provost, Cllr Robert Aldridge, who wears the 18 carat gold and diamond civic regalia on official business. He is often accompanied by the Provost Consort.

The chain made by Messrs Brook and Son on George Street is 46 inches long, and weighs between 40 and 50 ounces. It is decorated with 470 brilliant and 22 rose diamonds. Transportation expenses are also included in monies already approved by the Council in its budget.

In 2024/25, the Office of the Lord Provost conducted 639 engagements which is made up of 413 civic events and 226 routine business meetings.

The Lord Provost’s registration plates are SO 1 and SO 10 and these are in the process of being transferred to the new vehicles.

The Green group on the council have in the past called for such assets to be sold, with the value of the plates estimated at around £500,000 each.

The last time the sale of such assets was discussed, the disposal was again not approved with City Centre councillor, Jo Mowat saying in autumn 2024: “This is not a man wandering around the city in a necklace. This is the Lord Provost wearing the chain of office, representing our city.

“We demean the role if we regard it in other ways.

“These are chains of office that belong to the city and they link us back to our past. They are part of the visible thread that connects us back through the 900 years and the history of this council.”