A Conservative MSP says it is “extraordinary” that Perth and Kinross Council could insist an accusation that staff members were part of a money-making scam was “totally unfounded” then, a month later, confirm they had been suspended.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser has hit out at the local authority for making no attempt to investigate serious allegations when they were first brought to their attention.
The Courier contacted the council on February 10 about building warrants officers allegedly both drawing up and approving building warrants.
The council was asked if any investigations were being carried out.
A week later a response read, “The claims are totally unfounded and no investigation is being carried out regarding the work of building standards.”
On March 31, The Courier put it to the council that staff were being investigated in relation to this matter.
At this point a spokesman admitted, “We can confirm that Perth and Kinross Council has suspended three building standards employees following allegations about their conduct.
“While we cannot comment further on the detail of the ongoing investigation at this time, the allegations are being taken very seriously.”
They added, “However, we would stress at this point none of the allegations against the suspended officers have been substantiated.
“The purpose of the investigation is to establish whether or not there is any substance to them.”
The council has acknowledged that the original Courier inquiry did not spark any investigation, although it is not clear what they did to make sure that the claims were “totally unfounded.”
In fact, it is now the council’s position that they “will investigate any allegations made directly to it, but will not launch investigations solely based on anonymous comments made to newspapers.”
The spokesman said, “Allegations were first made to the council on March 5, and after initial inquiries a formal investigation started on March 10.”
However, Mr Fraser believes that this is not good enough and questioned what other allegations that have been put before the council will have “slipped through the net.”
He said, “It is extraordinary that Perth and Kinross Council dismissed allegations made about employees as ‘unfounded’ back in February when the selfsame complaints then led to the suspension of three staff members a month later.
“It is clear that the council made no attempt to investigate the initial complaint made despite its serious nature.
“The council must realise that any allegations made must be fully investigated and all work by the council has to be transparent and open at all times.”Scam preventionHe added, “The council must make sure that they have procedures in place so that any possible scams are spotted quickly and that they take any allegations seriously.
“Taxpayers in Perth and Kinross will now be wondering how often these mistakes are made by the council. What else is slipping through the net?”
The Courier was told by an insider that the staff two from Blairgowrie, one from Perth are being investigated after a problem on a Blairgowrie build with plans allegedly drawn up and approved by the same person.
He said, “This has been going on for years but the council had to take action following a complaint by a member of the public over their plans.”
He said the council is investigating whether staff had profited by approving warrant applications which they had submitted themselves and for which they had drawn up the plans.
The source who spoke on the guarantee of anonymity said, “Warrant control officers are not supposed to do drawings. They’re certainly not supposed to do drawings and then submit a building warrant application and make the decision on that themselves.
“What they should do if someone comes in looking for a building warrant is direct them to get an architect or architectural technician to do the drawings and submit the application on their behalf or they can submit it themselves.
“It is alleged officers have been saying they don’t need to do that and handling it themselves from their privileged position of being able to fast-track and approve their own work.
“Whether they are doing it on their own or with a colleague in a nice, cosy agreement, it’s equally wrong.”
It is understood the projects involved are mainly small renovations and alterations. The inquiry is in-house, with no police involvement.
It was also suggested that people who gained their warrants in this manner could suffer from a lack of professional indemnity insurance and buildings could even be unsafe.