Highland council chiefs have confessed to an element of failure in last year’s radical voluntary redundancy scheme.
Council leader Margaret Davidson said “exit arrangements were not rigorously followed for all staff and there needs to be an improvement in this process in anticipation of further reductions in the workforce.”
The revelation features in a written answer to opposition SNP group deputy leader Richard Laird, in advance of this week’s full council meeting.
Councillor Laird had sought an assurance amid concern about the impact of further budget-balancing staff cuts.
The audit and scrutiny committee chairman considers the admission “damning” of the independent-led minority administration.
He said: “A recent internal audit talked about the fact there was no handover process for responsibilities when staff left the council.
“Initially, I had anecdotal experience of the problem – in housing, in planning, in roads, not one particular service but across the council.
“Then, when the internal audit provided official evidence of it, it makes me particularly concerned.
“Now that ‘VR2 – the sequel’ is coming forward, if we don’t make sure that’s got a robust process it’ll make things worse.”
The council confirmed last week that at least 200 and possibly twice that number of staff were likely to lose their jobs to help balance the books for 2017-18. The issue will be confronted on Thursday.
Councillor Davidson last night (SUN) added her voice to a call from the councils’ organisation Cosla for the Scottish Government to distribute increased funds in the imminent 2017-18 settlement.
She said: “The information we have so far is that the settlement may be between 3% and 5%. It’s also clear that the UK Government have given a slightly increased settlement to Scotland, so the choices sit squarely with the SNP government.”
