He has lodged a complaint against the Labour councillor after she publicly made accusations claiming councillors and the public were being misled. Cllr Higgins was speaking in opposition to the SNP council’s handling of proposed education cuts.
Ms Higgins claimed this was symbolic of a deeper issue within the council over its inability to be transparent about how public money is used.
Ms Higgins raised this issue with the Ethical Standards Commissioner claiming there was a “pattern” within the council “of not being appropriately transparent about public money” that needs “closer attention”.
Two things link this with West Dunbartonshire Council’s ongoing travails over secrecy and cock-ups.
The first is the councillor’s claim that the council is “not being appropriately transparent about public money”.
And the second is linked to the concerns of secrecy around more than £1 million in exit payments to senior council staff, which was flagged by the public spending auditor.
The Democrat has suggested that “golden goodbyes” to senior officials from West Dunbartonshire Council should be re-investigated after it was exposed that some of them were involved in golf and champagne dinners at luxury Cameron House Hotel with a contractor who was awarded work from the council.
- Remarkable that Labour councillors in Glasgow are claiming there’s too much secrecy when their colleagues in Dumbarton are imposing bans and restrictions designed to keep matters from the press and public. Editor
WDC investigated themselves over the sordid scandal of extravagant boozy lunches, golf outings and contracts worth £Ms placed with a certain contractor. A report was produced but most of it was redacted and the whole story of allegations of malfeasance in public office was swept under the council’s commodious and frequently used carpet. Some people alleged that some senior employees got generous leaving deals after the sweep up, but this was neither confirmed nor denied by the council. At least two of those involved in the gourmandising are alleged to be still in post and names have been bandied about by those with a nose for the stench of corruption. It has been reported that an unredacted copy of the report is in the hands of persons familiar with the matter. Is there yet hope that a public spirited citizen will see fit to publish it on the Interweb?