£128k director role at Perth and Kinross Council axed in series of undocumented ‘verbal discussions’

The local authority claims to hold no communication or meeting records as top director leaves role after six months.

By Sean O'Neil

December 27 2024, 5:57am

Alison Williams former director of economy, place and learning. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson.

A £128k-a-year director role was scrapped by Perth and Kinross Council in a series of undocumented verbal meetings, the local authority has claimed.

Alison Williams was brought in by the local authority in February as director of economy, place and learning as part of a management re-structure to reduce the executive team.

By August, Ms Williams had left the freshly created role “to explore new opportunities”.

The following month, chief executive Thomas Glen scrapped the £127,786 position altogether, further shrinking the executive team to three.

In September, The Courier sent a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Perth and Kinross Council asking for all communication and meeting minutes from the executive team regarding Ms Williams’ departure and the subsequent scrapping of the high-level position.

The local authority said that no such records were held.

Following an appeal, The Courier has now been told that all decisions were made via unrecorded verbal talks with chief executive Thomas Glen.

‘There were verbal discussions’

Responding to The Courier’s request for a review of the authority’s claim that not one single communication record was kept, the council’s own review panel have said they find that to be correct.

Perth and Kinross council chief executive Thomas Glen. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

The council’s information governance officer said: “There were verbal discussions in relation to the above [the FOI request] and in relation to business continuity once Ms Williams had intimated that she was leaving, which included Ms Williams and the chief executive meeting.

“Following these discussions the chief executive also provided a verbal update to the council’s strategic leadership team on the proposed changes to the executive team structure and the reporting lines between the executive and strategic lead teams.”

The governance officer’s response also indicates that the postponing of strategic lead David Littlejohn’s retirement from council to help with the transition of Ms Williams’ departure was also pushed through in a series of unrecorded verbal talks with the chief executive.

The Courier has now taken the case to the Scottish Information Commissioner.