Scotland's Standards Commission - Savaged By A Dead Sheep?
There are serious failings at the body that investigates complaints from members of the public about MSPs, councillors and members of public boards.
— Stephen Boyle (@AuditorGenScot) December 20, 2021
My report on the office of the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland: https://t.co/yNQCjmmizN pic.twitter.com/P6s2QkXHm1
Scotland's Auditor General says the commissioner responsible for overseeing standards in public life in Scotland has been doing a really poor job and that the organisation's many failings include:
- an absence of openness and transparency
- a breakdown in key relationships with stakeholders and within its own office
- no effective scrutiny or challenge which might have flagged up issues earlier
The Commissioner's Office has accepted the auditor's 22 recommendations for improvement, without quibble, which is encouraging.
Because up till now it sounds as if an investigation by the Commission was about as frightening as being savaged by a dead sheep.
Who knows, if the Standards Commission is going to get its act together, maybe that's where I'll pursue the issue of the SNP 'gaming the system' on councillors' pay in the New Year!
