Watchdog and former finance chairman at odds over invitation to speak
Senior councillor’s absence at inquiry raised eyebrows
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A senior Aberdeen councillor and a powerful financial watchdog were at odds with one another last night over claims that he did not request to give evidence at an inquiry this week.
Eyebrows were raised on Tuesday and Wednesday when Neil Fletcher, convener of the council’s resources management committee from 2003-07, failed to join council leader Kate Dean and her deputy, Kevin Stewart, to answer questions about the council’s financial problems.
The Lib Dem councillor said he was “surprised” not to be called to attend by either Audit Scotland or the Accounts Commission, given he chaired the authority’s finance committee for four years: “I asked to be heard but they did not call me.”
An official at Audit Scotland, which was involved in an audit of the council’s accounts recently, said he had not asked to take part.
In an e-mail to Labour MSP Richard Baker, Catherine Coull from the watchdog said: “The commission wanted to hear from the leader and depute leader of the council and felt it important to hear also from the other political groups.
“Councillor Fletcher did not make a request to give evidence and so was not denied the opportunity.”
Mr Baker said: “Rather than relish the opportunity to give evidence, it appears that Councillor Fletcher decided to keep his head down.”
Mr Fletcher strongly rejected the allegation, however.
He said: “I was expecting to be called and when I was not I put in the request in an e-mail through Audit Scotland’s website. They declined my request to attend and I don’t know why – I am not a happy bunny.”
Mr Fletcher, a vice-president of local government organisation Cosla, claimed Audit Scotland did not even interview him when it carried out the audit.
Meanwhile, Mr Fletcher said he had been told that Amicus trade union official Graham Tran was poised to report him to the Standards Commission for acting in a threatening manner.
He added that he complained to Paul Hannan, of homelessness charity Aberdeen Cyrenians, about the official’s conduct after he “had a dig at me” during the inquiry when he knew he could not respond.
Mr Fletcher said: “I am not threatening. I am not that sort of person. I just complained he was bullying me.
“I heard second-hand he is going to report me to the Standards Commission because Graham has not had the courtesy of telling me.”
Mr Tran was not available for comment last night.
