Shake-up at SPT as chief executive and deputy chairman stand down

THE chief executive and deputy chairman of troubled transport body SPT today became the latest senior figures to stand down from their posts.

Chief executive Ron Culley and deputy chairman Davie McLachlan both offered their resignations today. Chairman Alistair Watson stood down on Monday.

The departures follow questions over the expenses claims of senior figures at the publicly-funded body.

Newspaper reports said documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed a handful of top officials, including Mr Watson, had claimed 117,573 in the three years between 2006 and 2009.

That was said to include 49,195 incurred on overseas trips at public expense. Glasgow councillor Jonathan Findlay is set to replace Mr Watson. Mr Watson and Mr McLachlan are both Labour councillors.

SPT announced last week that it had asked external auditors KPMG to review the body's expenses. Public spending watchdog Audit Scotland is also looking into the claims.

Mr Culley, who is understood to have a heart condition, said: "I'm extremely confident that the investigation being undertaken under the auspices of Audit Scotland will exonerate officers of SPT as all delegations over the past four years were approved in advance by an authority comprising members of every major political party.

"Lessons learned were reported back to the authority and have or are being implemented."

He added: "Not withstanding, my present health problems do not currently permit me to bring the energy levels to bear on the work necessary to drive the authority forward and to serve the needs of our new chairman."

Mr McLachlan said he had "reluctantly" decided to stand down.

He added: "I do so for what I believe is in the best interests of SPT. Over the past few days SPT has received unjust criticism which has reflected on me.

"I believe that my position will be vindicated once the KPMG report is published."

Graeme Hendry, an SNP councillor in Glasgow, said: "Shuffling the deckchairs at SPT will not deliver the services the people of Glasgow and Strathclyde need."

He added: "There is clearly panic within SPT and Glasgow Labour as people move to get out of the firing line.

"Simply taking one Labour councillor out and putting in another is not real reform of what is clearly an organisation with a dysfunctional leadership."