This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-scotland-13902231
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Edinburgh council leader cleared of lying on Gathering | Edinburgh council leader cleared of lying on Gathering |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The leader of Edinburgh City Council and her deputy have been cleared of lying to parliament over the city's troubled clan gathering event. | The leader of Edinburgh City Council and her deputy have been cleared of lying to parliament over the city's troubled clan gathering event. |
| The finding for Jenny Dawe and Steve Cardownie came after MSPs looking into the 2009 event raised concern over the credibility of their evidence. | The finding for Jenny Dawe and Steve Cardownie came after MSPs looking into the 2009 event raised concern over the credibility of their evidence. |
| The conclusion came in a council-commissioned report by Deloitte. | The conclusion came in a council-commissioned report by Deloitte. |
| Ministers rescued The Gathering with a £180,000 loan after the company behind it went into liquidation. | Ministers rescued The Gathering with a £180,000 loan after the company behind it went into liquidation. |
| Even though The Gathering took place, the event lost £516,000, with £382,000 owed to six bodies and £344,000 owed to 103 private organisations at the time. | Even though The Gathering took place, the event lost £516,000, with £382,000 owed to six bodies and £344,000 owed to 103 private organisations at the time. |
| A subsequent investigation by the Scottish Parliament's audit committee led its convener at the time, Labour MSP Hugh Henry, to raise concern about "inconsistent and contradictory evidence" it received from witnesses. | |
| In particular, the committee's report found evidence from Edinburgh City Council executives was not credible, and raised concern over a press release which was said to have led creditors to mistakenly believe their outstanding invoices would be paid by an arm's-length council company, Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance (DEMA). | In particular, the committee's report found evidence from Edinburgh City Council executives was not credible, and raised concern over a press release which was said to have led creditors to mistakenly believe their outstanding invoices would be paid by an arm's-length council company, Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance (DEMA). |
| In relation to the press release, issued on 15 October, 2009, Deloitte "found no evidence to suggest this was attributed to anything other than a series of governance and procedural deficiencies, compounded by external factors and other pressures". | In relation to the press release, issued on 15 October, 2009, Deloitte "found no evidence to suggest this was attributed to anything other than a series of governance and procedural deficiencies, compounded by external factors and other pressures". |
| The report went on: "Accordingly, no evidence has been found to support the view of the public audit committee of the Scottish Parliament that the leader and deputy leader or any officers had been untruthful in their submissions to the committee." | The report went on: "Accordingly, no evidence has been found to support the view of the public audit committee of the Scottish Parliament that the leader and deputy leader or any officers had been untruthful in their submissions to the committee." |
| Mr Henry welcomed the report, adding: "It offers a damning indictment into a lack of communication and co-operation in the council. | |
| "I welcome the report's recommendation that the council in the future should undertake its own due diligence and that there should be improvements in the councils internal communications. | |
| "But the report glosses over the glaring weaknesses in the way that decisions were made and fails to adequately address the contradictions in evidence about who knew what and when." | |
| Deloitte also said it found no evidence to dispute the council's position that it was not responsible for the money owed by the Gathering company to private firms. | Deloitte also said it found no evidence to dispute the council's position that it was not responsible for the money owed by the Gathering company to private firms. |
| A review of governance arrangements at the council is now being carried out. | A review of governance arrangements at the council is now being carried out. |