Dundee councillor Kevin Keenan says parents of children who were alleged to have been “abused” at Kingspark School are right not to be satisfied with the findings of a report into the issues.
The Labour leader said: “I doubt if you were a parent that report answered your questions. It might not have addressed their issues.”
Following allegations made to the council and the school by a group of parents earlier this year, the city council ordered an investigation by independent consultant Alistair Marquis and his report on the school was published on Friday.
In the report, Mr Marquis said he is satisfied that child protection procedures were followed correctly and as promptly as possible.
However, the parents group set up after the allegations were made known have blasted the report as “a PR exercise” and say it was flawed as Mr Marquis did not interview the parents or investigate their claims of abuse, it merely looked at whether the council’s policy and procedures were correct.
The report was ordered after allegations from a group of parents that disabled children at the school have suffered a four-year period of “abuse” at Kingspark.
The parents group have taken legal advice and have also involved their local councillors, including Mr Keenan, who along with other members met Mr Marquis to discuss his report.
Now Mr Keenan says the parents have every right to feel aggrieved.
He said: “What I have read in the press would suggest that the parents are still not happy and there is an ongoing police inquiry as well, so the matter is not closed.
“The parents are still looking for a significant case review and will be looking for what the council can do for them.
“Myself and the other councillors had questions and answers with Mr Marquis and because there needs to be a tightening of procedures that means that there might have been things that happened.
“He was pretty honest with us but he didn’t interview the parents. I understand he didn’t want their solicitor there but they feel aggrieved at that.
“If the police inquiry throws up something untoward then there might well be a significant case review.”
Following the publication of Mr Marquis’ report on Friday, education director Michael Wood revealed a “comprehensive” action plan to implement recommendations made.
However, parents of those allegedly abused immediately branded the action plan as “a PR exercise”, with one of them stating the report and action plan do not go nearly far enough.
The report outlines a timeline that, if approved at a meeting of the committee on June 23, will see Mr Marquis’ recommendations implemented.