Councillors from across Scotland will be parachuted in to a troubled authority following a heavily critical report from the local government watchdog.
Councillors from across Scotland will be parachuted in to a troubled authority following a heavily critical report from the local government watchdog.
The Accounts Commission has "recommended as a matter of urgency" that West Dunbartonshire Council "should secure appropriate external support from peers" from other local authorities to address significant problems in the relationship between councillors and officials.
The demand for radical action comes just weeks after The Herald revealed that West Dunbartonshire's chief executive was seeking to quit, citing the behaviour of councillors whom he said had set out to undermine him.
It also comes on the back of previous inspections and public hearings that focused largely on the behaviour of councillors and led to the expulsion of a previous political leadership.
The unprecedented hearing, in early 2007, found the council was not in a position to deliver best value as there were serious problems with decision-making, scrutiny, staff morale and relationships between councillors and officers, with a lack of effective leadership from senior councillors and officers.
However, MSPs, West Dunbartonshire's leadership and Cosla, the umbrella body for Scotland's 32 authorities, have all criticised the Accounts Commission report as being overly negative and ignoring strides taken in improving key services such as education and social work.
In its report, made public today, the watchdog says that overall progress at the council has been inhibited by political conflict and limited development of working relationships between councillors and senior officers.
Until these issues are resolved, it states, the council "will not achieve the necessary shift in attitude and focus required to deliver best value for the people of West Dunbartonshire", adding that "external assistance is recommended".
It is understood West Dunbartonshire councillors will largely determine who will come in as "peer mentors", and already the names of several council leaders in the west of Scotland have been mentioned as potential candidates.
Last night Cosla president Pat Watters hit out at the Accounts Commission, claiming it had "sensationalised" the findings of its Best Value Audit.
Cllr Watters said: "I have expressed this concern before and I am disappointed in having to do so again today.
"I find it slightly ironic that, in recommendations which go heavily on external assistance, the Accounts Commission has chosen to castigate rather than support. I would much rather work with the council than work against them from the sidelines."
West Dunbartonshire chief executive David McMillan said: "I fully accept the limited progress the council has made in the four areas highlighted by the report and welcome the recommendations before us."
