by Zoe Streatfield Scotland Reporter

AYRSHIRE councils were urged to review their contracts with private companies yesterday after figures showed they fork out £32 million a year to private companies for just a dozen schools.

GMB Scotland regional organiser Paul Arkison said it was “completely absurd.”

Many GMB members in Ayrshire “have seen their hours of work cut and are worried about their futures, yet this sickening amount of money gets paid to greedy private companies who have no interest or care for the good people of South Ayrshire,” Mr Arkison said.

“Many of our members who work in these schools are employed by Mitie and are denied the Scottish living wage by this profit-making penny-pinching company, and it is high time that” councils review the contracts.

North, South and East Ayrshire councils spend £2.6 million every month on private firms under public-private partnership (PPP) agreements.

These deals have private firms front up the cash for projects such as schools, but then rake in huge sums from the taxpayer for contracts which often span decades.

GMB Scotland said that private companies were cashing in on these dubious deals while all three councils were struggling to fund services.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson claimed it had “robust processes in place” to handle PPP contracts and that it keeps such deals “under review.”