Angus Council’s opposition SNP group has hit back at the authority’s coalition administration for ripping up their contract with external consultants EY in what has been condemned as a “closed doors” move.
Plans to drop EY, who have cost £829,000 since they were contracted by Angus Council in 2014, will go before Thursday’s full council ‘for noting’, with the SNP insisting the move to break up the partnership was taken in secret – and against the terms of an amendment put forward by the new leadership when they were in opposition last year.
SNP group leader, Councillor Lynne Devine is to demand answers over how the decision to drop the accountancy firm was reached after figures revealed their involvement in the authority’s change programme had led to almost £4 million of savings.
Cllr Devine said: “The SNP were amazed to see this item on the agenda because clearly, without the input of all councillors, a major change to the Transforming Angus programme has already been implemented.
“This decision flies in the face of what was proposed by the now leader and depute leader – and agreed – at a special council meeting in November.
“The amendment proposed that day by Cllr David Fairweather – and seconded by Cllr Bob Myles – stated: “All decisions relating to the Transforming Angus next steps programme should be taken by full Council.’
“Since that decision was agreed we do not recall any formal change to the handling of the Transforming Angus programme being subsequently agreed that would supersede this amendment.”
Cllr Devine added: “Yet, in both the agenda for full Council and through the pages of The Courier, we as elected members of Angus Council have learned that a major change has taken place without any opportunity for us to have an input into this decision.
“There hasn’t even been a briefing over this change and there appears to be a great deal of detail in the report that remains unexplained.
“Having consulted with the Chief Executive, we understand the officers may have more ownership of the upcoming projects and, while we will now not oppose it, we do fear there has been a clear breach of democracy over how this major financial decision was reached.
“We decidedly hope that the pace of change will be increased – as required by Audit Scotland – without the help of EY and that staff will not be overburdened by the additional work caused by ending the contract with the strategic partners.”
