Accounts Commission for Scotland
Good news - the Accounts Commission for Scotland - an independent public body that oversees council spending - has agreed to investigate a complaint I made about South Lanarkshire Council.
The Accounts Commission has referred the matter to South Lanarkshire's external auditors - PwC (Price Waterhouse Coopers). Here's what my complaint said:
"Dear Accounts Commission
South Lanarkshire Council
I would like to register a complaint with the Accounts Commission for Scotland regarding the behaviour of South Lanarkshire Council.
My complaint is about the huge cost incurred by the council in releasing a former Executive Director of Corporate Services - whose fixed term contract came to an end on 31st March 2006.
I wrote to South Lanarkshire Council asking for an explanation of these events, but the chief executive has offered no explanation or justification of the council’s behaviour - other than to point, in very general terms, towards the Local Government Pension Scheme regulations.
From my reading of the correspondence, South Lanarkshire Council is arguing that its decisions were justified on the grounds of ‘business efficiency’. Yet at no time does the council explain what these efficiency gains were – taking into account the fact that the post concerned was actually replaced.
Nor does the council explain why it chose to spend £291,990 in allowing a senior official to access his pension benefits early – simply because his fixed term contract came to an end.
In my view, South Lanarkshire Council’s behaviour is inconsistent with its general duty to seek value for money for the taxpayer and, more specifically, its obligation to ensure ‘best value’ in managing council funds.
I have not received a proper explanation from South Lanarkshire Council despite my recent letter to the chief executive, Archie Strang. As a result, I am now raising my concerns with Accounts Commission for Scotland and would ask you to investigate the matter on my behalf.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Mark Irvine
Enclosures x 2
1 Letter to Chief Executive dated 28 October 2010
2 Response from South Lanarkshire Council dated 11 November 2010"
The Accounts Commission has referred the matter to South Lanarkshire's external auditors - PwC (Price Waterhouse Coopers). Here's what my complaint said:
"Dear Accounts Commission
South Lanarkshire Council
I would like to register a complaint with the Accounts Commission for Scotland regarding the behaviour of South Lanarkshire Council.
My complaint is about the huge cost incurred by the council in releasing a former Executive Director of Corporate Services - whose fixed term contract came to an end on 31st March 2006.
I wrote to South Lanarkshire Council asking for an explanation of these events, but the chief executive has offered no explanation or justification of the council’s behaviour - other than to point, in very general terms, towards the Local Government Pension Scheme regulations.
From my reading of the correspondence, South Lanarkshire Council is arguing that its decisions were justified on the grounds of ‘business efficiency’. Yet at no time does the council explain what these efficiency gains were – taking into account the fact that the post concerned was actually replaced.
Nor does the council explain why it chose to spend £291,990 in allowing a senior official to access his pension benefits early – simply because his fixed term contract came to an end.
In my view, South Lanarkshire Council’s behaviour is inconsistent with its general duty to seek value for money for the taxpayer and, more specifically, its obligation to ensure ‘best value’ in managing council funds.
I have not received a proper explanation from South Lanarkshire Council despite my recent letter to the chief executive, Archie Strang. As a result, I am now raising my concerns with Accounts Commission for Scotland and would ask you to investigate the matter on my behalf.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Mark Irvine
Enclosures x 2
1 Letter to Chief Executive dated 28 October 2010
2 Response from South Lanarkshire Council dated 11 November 2010"
I now plan to enquire about the timescale for PwC reporting back - since the actions of the council go back to 2006.
