A council severely criticised by a watchdog unanimously agreed to an action plan of improvements yesterday.
The Accounts Commission highlighted Argyll and Bute Council’s political instability and inadequate leadership in a report published last year.
Audit Scotland said of the council: “Although councillors behave appropriately in public meetings, behaviours outside the chamber are described as less positive and exacerbate a sense of mistrust. Some councillors will now not engage with each other because relationships have deteriorated.
“Part of the lack of mutual trust is because of the amount of discussion about council issues and derogatory remarks about councillors and officers made in local press and online forums. Councillors expressed their concern that this includes apparent leaking of private papers and emails.”
In July the commission said the council has responded constructively but still has much more work to do to secure the improvements required.
At today’s meeting councillors were asked to agree to an updated action plan, devised by members and officers following a series of seminars.
Council Leader Dick Walsh moved that councillors, “agree the additional points in the revised action plan”.
His motion was seconded by Deputy Council Leader Ellen Morton and agreed unanimously by councillors.
In the plan the council pledges to refresh training in standards and behaviour; reinforce the roles and responsibilities of elected members and reinforce procedures for dealing with private and confidential procedure.
Under its addition areas for action to take heed of the commission’s July report, the council proposes to ensure there is good communication and information flows across committees, and to support and encourage councillors to increase their engagement in training.
Councillor Walsh said: “We are encouraged that the follow-up report acknowledges our constructive response to last year’s Accounts Commission findings. We have made significant progress in a relatively short period of time and our action plan has shown clear evidence of this.
“We are confident that when Audit Scotland return to Argyll and Bute Council in 2015 they will see that we have built with determination on the strong foundation that we have already put in place.”