| The issue was taken under the private part of the committee agenda, from which the public and Press are excluded, to avoid disclosure of exempt information.
Mr Letford said he was unhappy with the way the issue involving a third party had been handled by both committee convener Councillor Ron Scrimgeour and Tayside Contracts managing director Iain Waddell.
The Lord Provost said he intends to refer the matter to Audit Scotland.
Responding to Mr Letford’s comment, Councillor Scrimgeour said, “First of all, I would like to thank the Lord Provost for his years of service to Tayside Contracts Joint Committee. His experience and energy will be missed.
“However, I am disappointed that the Lord Provost has taken the private and confidential business of the joint committee and aired it in the Press.
“I have no difficulty with Audit Scotland looking into any matters concerning Tayside Contracts and I will robustly defend any allegations made against me.
“I can assure the people of Tayside and the employees of Tayside Contracts that there was absolutely no misconduct on my part or mismanagement within the organisation
“I am saddened that the Lord Provost has felt unable to accept the decision of the joint committee and has resorted to a personal public attack on me and the managing director.”
Mr Waddell also issued a statement, which said, “This matter was taken in private by the joint committee and I robustly answered all the points raised by the Lord Provost. The joint committee then took their decision accordingly.
“I have no difficulty with Audit Scotland investigating this matter, or indeed any other matter concerning Tayside Contracts, and I will be more than willing to co-operate fully with them and will strongly defend the actions I have taken.”
Tayside Contracts was formerly the contracting arm of the old Tayside Regional Council. After local government reorganisation in the mid-1990s, it was agreed by the three successor councils for Dundee, Angus, and Perth and Kinross, to continue the organisation on a region-wide basis.
It has four units covering catering, cleaning, construction and transport services. Catering includes provision of school meals and transport services takes in snow clearing of the region’s roads.
The organisation is overseen by a joint committee, comprising councillors from each of the three constituent local authorities. |
