paterson admits he must share blamedean under pressure to follow him
City boss decides to quit as watchdog launches inquiry
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The chief executive of crisis-hit Aberdeen City Council dramatically quit yesterday as government watchdogs gathered to question his leadership.
Douglas Paterson said he would seek early retirement on the day the Accounts Commission arrived in the city to begin a public inquiry into the running of the council.
Pressure was last night mounting on council leader Kate Dean to follow Mr Paterson out of the door after the pair received a public grilling from the five-strong commission panel.
The chief executive admitted he shared “part of the responsibility” for the turmoil that has engulfed the council in recent months.
“This seems to me to be the right thing to do,” he said.
“After 12 years at the helm of Scotland's ‘third city’ we are at a moment in time which just seems right for me to hand over the reins and allow someone to bring a fresh impetus to one of the best jobs in Scotland and drive the council forward.
“I had planned to retire in just over a year. However, the fact that we are due to review progress later this year and we will also have the findings of the Accounts Commission hearing, it would be best for the council and the new chief executive for him or her to be part of that process now.”
A questionmark had been hanging over the chief executive’s future since the Accounts Commission called a public hearing into Audit Scotland’s investigation into the council – unprecedented for a Scottish city council.
Uncertainty grew after Audit Scotland reported last month on six controversial property sales which effectively lost the city £5million through selling assets below market value.
And the Press and Journal revealed last month that Mr Paterson had offered council leaders his resignation in the wake of public outcry over £27million budget cuts.
He said yesterday his decision would allow his successor to take account of the findings to come out of this week’s hearing.
One possibility could be that the previous indication that the Accounts Commission could take control of the city council made his position untenable.
Mrs Dean said she would reluctantly recommend councillors approve Mr Paterson’s request for early retirement.
“Having spoken to Douglas personally this morning I fully understand the reasons behind his thinking,” she said.
“It is a mark of the man's integrity that he puts the city of Aberdeen and the council ahead of himself by retiring slightly earlier than he had planned.” The embattled council leader again faced calls for her own resignation from opposition Labour councillors.
One political observer said of her endorsement of Mr Paterson’s tenure: “It is an extraordinary reaction. She may be the next casualty if as expected the Accounts Commission find that part of the council’s problems stemmed from its management structure which leaves it no director of education or social services. If that happens I cannot see any possibility that Kate Dean can survive.”
Panel members repeatedly questioned speakers about the council’s structure yesterday.
It is understood that the Best Value Audit in neighbouring Aberdeenshire Council is due to be published next month and is highly complementary about the way the shire is being run.
Readers' Comments
I listened carefully to what Mr. Paterson said this morning, both as a statement and as answers to questions from the panel. Few conclusions are evident: 1)He frequently refered to "the realities of Life" when his words indicate a total divorce with what is generally consider as real. The administration he described was an amorphous ente and not an efficient gestor of public funds to prudently satisfy public needs and the provision of services. 2)In any private enterprise Mr. Paterson style of management would not have survived a 20th of his time with the Council, most likely because he is no manager. 3) he frequently spoke of the "strong leadership" needed for his position. All data available indicate he has been neither strong enough nor leader, as in showing the way by going first. His skills selecting assistants was very poor at best, and his control of them non-existant. I truly hope that the next Executive respond to his/her name and is fit to execute and perform. Farewell Mr Paterson.
Vincent Mc Dee
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Severence package ? Early retirement ? No, just sack him.
John McKenzie
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Early retirement from the council dont make me laugh they will make up his years served to his retirement date and not to the day he actually goes. He will lose not a penny unlike the people of Aberdeen who, thanks to his utter mis-managemnt, have lost £70 million. People in other parts of the country must snigger at us no wonder they think we are Bumpkins to be polite.
james morrison
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