Scottish Labour’s culture spokeswoman Claire Baker has called on Dundee City Council to show “commonsense” and release files on the V&A project after she was told email lists were only kept for 14 days before being deleted.
Ms Baker had asked the city council to supply all non-confidential email correspondence on the V&A since the tendering process began, but was told her freedom of information request had been rejected as it would break through the £600 limit charged for extensive inquiries.
The reply from the council head of IT was that it “would not be possible for an email search to be carried out of the whole of the council’s email system looking for emails on the V&A project as council-wide email lists are only kept for seven to 14 days and therefore not for the periods you requested”.
Ms Baker is to appeal that decision but in the meantime she has urged them to provide the information immediately.
She said: “In an age when almost everything is stored digitally it seems ridiculous that Dundee City Council cannot retrieve files on the V&A or search through an email system.
“This does nothing to appraise the growing belief that the project has been mismanaged from the start and that the SNP have something to hide.
“Scottish Labour supports the V&A museum in Dundee and we are delighted that the project is still going forward.
“All we are asking for is a transparency and accountability that has so far been lacking.
“I urge them to show commonsense and release the files so the people of Dundee can find out once and for all who knew what and when.”
A council spokesman said: “Anyone who makes a freedom of information request to the council is advised of their right to appeal.
“They are advised that if they are unhappy with the council’s reply to their freedom of information request, they may require the council to review its actions and decisions in relation to the request.”