Dundee Labour Party leader Kevin Keenan has written to council chief executive David Dorward asking why the council spent over £50,000 on private detectives.
Mr Keenan said in The Courier he was “shocked” that two private investigation firms were employed to snoop on council workers suspected of wrongly taking “sickies” or leaving work early.
All three opposition leaders condemned the practice and queried why it was necessary to spend £51,000 when there are managers to deal with staffing issues.
Now Mr Keenan has taken it a step further, asking Mr Dorward to provide details of the investigators’ activities, plus any ongoing projects.
He has also pressured the chief executive on consultants’ fees and projects.
In a letter to Mr Dorward, a copy of which has been sent to The Courier, he wrote: “I was shocked to read that this cash-strapped council spent over £50k on private investigators when every community across this city could have offered up projects costing less.
“These projects would have improved people’s quality of life. In my own area of Ardler a crossing is required to make it safer for children going to school.
“The wider Strathmartine ward would benefit should the public swimming sessions be reinstated at St Paul’s High School.
“Can you please supply me details of the work that has been carried out by private investigators on behalf of Dundee City Council over the last year?
“I would also like details of any on-going projects where private investigators have been or will be engaged along with projected cost.
“Can you also advise if and when councillors gave approval for this work and spend? What members of the council’s administration were aware that private investigators were being used and how often did they receive updated reports?
“Can you also advise where, in the council’s budget volume, this spend can be identified?
“Whilst I am asking these questions, can you please supply details of any consultants that the council has engaged over the last year, the projects they have been engaged to undertake, their cost and the budgets where each payment will come from.”Breathtaking hypocrisyKen Guild dismissed the criticism as “breathtaking hypocrisy”.
He said, “There is a clear suggestion from them that it is an SNP decision to spend £51,000 to monitor staff.
“In fact this is for the period over 2006-2011 when most of that time the authority was run by a LibDem/Labour administration.
“I have been informed by the chief executive that since he was appointed to his position in 2009 he has not received any request for external private investigators to be brought in.
“There are two particular incidents that should be remembered in relation to this story. Firstly, surveillance had been carried out previously on housing concierges who were not attending work and covering one another.
“They were scamming thousands of pounds from local taxpayers.
“Secondly, in 2007 surveillance was brought in to investigate claims being lodged by some members of staff who were seeking compensation for injuries.
“This cost £10,000 but the claims were in excess of £100,000 so there is a clear net gain.
“I am not going to criticise leaders of former administrations for carrying out this surveillance work because it was something that had to be done.
“We are perfectly happy that the vast majority of staff are honest, hard working and dedicated to their job.”