Petitioner: Pete Gregson on behalf of Kids not Suits
Status:
Closed
Date Lodged:
16 August 2013
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to support the introduction of staff whistle-blower hotlines to report mismanagement in Scottish local authorities, with reports overseen by councillors from each party.
Summary:
29 October 2013: The Commitee took evidence from Pete Gregson. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, COSLA, Audit Scotland, Unison, Unite, GMB, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers Scotland (SOLACE). Link to Official Report 29 October 2013 (517KB pdf)
14 January 2014: The Committee agreed to issue reminders to the organisations that did not respond to the Committee’s initial request for views. Link to Official Report 14 January 2014 (417KB pdf)
18 March 2014: The Committee agreed to write to the Accounts Commission, Audit Scotland, COSLA and local authorities. Link to Official Report 18 March 2014 (378KB pdf)
20 May 2014: The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the petition to its next meeting. Link to Official Report 20 May 2014 (491KB pdf)
3 June 2014: The Committee agreed to close the petition, under Rule 15.7, on the basis that the petition is about policies that are matters for locally elected representatives; Audit Scotland / the Accounts Commission is responsible for auditing these policies and, to date, it has not identified any weaknesses related to whistleblowing which have required to be flagged-up in the annual report for a local authority. Link to Official Report 3 June 2014 (484KB pdf)
Written Submissions:
How do you think staff reports on mismanagement in publicly funded bodies should be addressed? How should reports be escalated? How best to prevent victimisation that may result? Who should deal with reports- officers or politicians? Should anonymous disclosures be allowed?
Most Councils have Member- Officer Protocols in place which forbid communication between staff and councillors on matters which may (even incidentally) relate to their job. Does this mean Council staff have less access to democracy than the ordinary citizen?
Should councillors take on the responsibility of investigating malpractice?
Do you think they have forgotten that they are the masters and the officials the servants?