South Lanarkshire
Readers in South Lanarkshire will no doubt be interested in the following article which appears in today's Sunday Herald.
"Councillor in SPT expenses row lands new job"
Tom Gordon, Scottish Political Editor
6 June 2010
"A Labour councillor who quit Scotland’s biggest transport quango during a row over expenses has been handed a new job by his colleagues in South Lanarkshire.
Davie McLachlan stepped down as vice-chairman of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) in February after it emerged he claimed more than £10,000 in mileage in just two years.
He went on a £17,000 SPT trip to New York and a £1500 trip to Manchester which coincided with Rangers playing in the Uefa Cup Final.
Last week, a report by external auditors KPMG revealed much of the paperwork covering SPT’s corporate credit cards had been shredded. KMPG also questioned whether all McLachlan’s mileage claims were value for money.
But before the report was published, McLachlan’s colleagues at South Lanarkshire voted him into a new post when he insisted he would be vindicated.
He is now the spokesman on youth issues, a job that means he becomes chair of the Regen-FX Youth Trust, which pays a £8405 salary. The appointment was part of a wider reshuffle caused by a councillor becoming an MP.
SNP members of the Labour-run council claim McLachlan was given the post to cushion the blow of losing his £11,000 salary as SPT’s vice-chairman.
Anne Maggs, leader of the SNP opposition, said of McLachlan: “He does not come out of [the report] smelling of roses. There have been some bad judgments and I would be expecting some of this money to be paid back.”
McLachlan, councillor for Hamilton North and East, did not return calls."
"Councillor in SPT expenses row lands new job"
Tom Gordon, Scottish Political Editor
6 June 2010
"A Labour councillor who quit Scotland’s biggest transport quango during a row over expenses has been handed a new job by his colleagues in South Lanarkshire.
Davie McLachlan stepped down as vice-chairman of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) in February after it emerged he claimed more than £10,000 in mileage in just two years.
He went on a £17,000 SPT trip to New York and a £1500 trip to Manchester which coincided with Rangers playing in the Uefa Cup Final.
Last week, a report by external auditors KPMG revealed much of the paperwork covering SPT’s corporate credit cards had been shredded. KMPG also questioned whether all McLachlan’s mileage claims were value for money.
But before the report was published, McLachlan’s colleagues at South Lanarkshire voted him into a new post when he insisted he would be vindicated.
He is now the spokesman on youth issues, a job that means he becomes chair of the Regen-FX Youth Trust, which pays a £8405 salary. The appointment was part of a wider reshuffle caused by a councillor becoming an MP.
SNP members of the Labour-run council claim McLachlan was given the post to cushion the blow of losing his £11,000 salary as SPT’s vice-chairman.
Anne Maggs, leader of the SNP opposition, said of McLachlan: “He does not come out of [the report] smelling of roses. There have been some bad judgments and I would be expecting some of this money to be paid back.”
McLachlan, councillor for Hamilton North and East, did not return calls."
