East Lothian Council has been condemned for falling ‘a long way short of the standards expected of public bodies', by Scotland's official auditor. The Accounts Commission for Scotland delivered its verdict in a report on the proposed departmental reorganisation and voluntary redundancy of chief executive, John Lindsay, earlier this year. The commission accepted and endorsed the findings of the controller of audit. Accounts Commission deputy chairwoman, Isabelle Low, said: ‘Councils have a responsibility to operate in an open and transparent manner. They need to be able to demonstrate why they have taken decisions, and how they offer best value.' The controller found the process by which the council agreed to merge two departments and appoint a new chief executive did not meet standards expected of good governance and best value. The information provided to elected members was limited, not supported by professional advice and members were given insufficient time to consider the issue. And the way in which the council appointed the new chief executive made it difficult for it to demonstrate it appointed the best candidate. New council leader, Cllr David Berry, who first lodged the complaint, said: ‘We broadly accepted the controller of audit's findings as soon as they were published and we will now comply with the Accounts Commission's requirement that its findings are considered at a public meeting of the full council. ‘We are currently awaiting the opinion of senior legal counsel in relation to the proposed redundancy payment, the outcome of which will be considered at the same time.'
