News / Watchdog rejects Wills submission
A SHETLAND councillor has dubbed this month’s public inquiry into Scotland’s most northerly local authority a “whitewash” before it has even begun, after the Accounts Commission rejected confidential documents he submitted as evidence.
The local government watchdog is holding a two day public hearing at Lerwick Town Hall into events surrounding the appointment of Shetland Islands Council’s former chief executive David Clark and the £285,000 settlement for him to leave after nine months.
Lerwick South member Jonathan Wills made a four page submission to the commission raising his concerns about “political mismanagement”, attaching 24 supporting documents some of which contain confidential information.
On Tuesday Dr Wills said that the confidential documents had been rejected and he had been asked to amend his submission.
“They’ve told me they won’t accept any confidential evidence and have asked me to amend my submission by tomorrow night (Wednesday), removing footnotes referring to documents I appended with my covering letter,” he said.
“So this can only be a pretend inquiry and a whitewash, because if they don’t see all the evidence they can’t possibly find out what really happened. For example, how can they understand the ‘Clark affair’ or the council’s financial settlement with the former chief executive if they don’t see the documents?”
Dr Wills warned: “I’d hoped the public inquiry would be the end of this tiresome business but now it seems we may have to ask higher authority to investigate and determine who’s responsible for the serial incompetence that has characterised the council’s political leadership for the past seven years and has cost Shetland so many millions of pounds.”
The councillor has already told the commission of his concerns that the hearing would not result in anyone being held responsible for any failures.
Both Dr Wills and his fellow councillor Gary Robinson have published their submissions to the hearing, pointing to failures in governance over the decision to build a new £50 million high school in Lerwick and a £12 million cinema and music venue.
They raise concerns about the way in which the council’s former chief executive was appointed in May 2009 and the way a settlement was agreed to pay him off the following February, at cost to the council of more than £300,000.
Mr Robinson also said there had been a “serious deterioration in working relationships between members and between members and some key officials” and accused some officials of following a “party line instead of representing the interests of the council as a whole”.
He added: “We have to move ahead but in order to do so we have to address the myriad of problems of the past year. We have to be prepared to speak up and face up to these issues collectively as a council if we are going to be able to deliver for the community in the remaining two years of this council.”
A spokeswoman for the Accounts Commission said: “The Accounts Commission made it clear that it was seeking submissions of around four pages, in order to provide a basis on which it could consider the perspectives of different stakeholders.
“The Commission has also been clear that it does not intend to accept any written material in confidence, or to hear any evidence in private, as this is a public hearing. Our policy on written material is available at http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/about/docs/100601_shetland_written_evidence.pdf .
“The Commission is, of course, able to explore any issues it considers appropriate in as much depth as it wishes at the hearing.”
Five members of the Accounts Commission led by chairman Professor John Baillie meet for two days on 28 and 29 June in Lerwick Town Hall to hear evidence from a range of witnesses.
The council itself has agreed a four page submission which will be published on the commission’s website on 21 June.
Become a member of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -
- Remove non-local ads;
- Bookmark posts to read later;
- Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
- Hide membership messages;
- Comments open for discussion.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.
Already a member? Sign in to hide this message.
