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HUMAN RESOURCES

Management culture change after ashes scandal

The chief executive of Aberdeen City Council has vowed to implement a management ‘culture change’ in the wake of the baby ashes scandal.

The chief executive of Aberdeen City Council has vowed to implement a management ‘culture change' in the wake of the baby ashes scandal.

Hazlehead Crematorium in Aberdeen was found to be regularly cremating infants in the same chamber as adults, with parents told there were no ashes to give them.

A review into how operational and strategic responsibility had been managed at the crematorium will be presented to the council today.

However, chief executive Angela Scott said the review would be kept confidential for now due to data protection issues.

She said: ‘The review is part of an ongoing process which has not, as yet, reached a conclusion, and of necessity the detail set out in the initial findings will be shared with the members on a confidential basis.

‘The findings are currently under active consideration and any unauthorised disclosure would potentially breach fair employment practice under employment legislation and the Data Protection Act.'

Ms Scott said the council will be asked to formally accept the findings of both the National Cremation Investigation by Dame Elish and the Infant Cremation Commission. 

Dame Elish's review highlighted issues with the ‘culture of management practice and focus'. 

Ms Scott said: ‘Since 2014 I have been implementing a culture change programme that places the customer at the heart of how we deliver vital public services. 

‘We will change our recruitment processes and review all of our HR policies to ensure that this is placed at the very centre of what we do.'

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