Tram project documents error leads to apology

A COUNCIL has been forced to issue an apology after wrongly stating that it had not kept key documents relating to its ill-fated tram project.

Officials at the City of Edinburgh Council had replied to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from the Labour Party by saying it could not provide information dating from 2007 because correspondence involving the council chief executive and city development director was kept for only one year.

The revelation prompted Labour to accuse the council of shredding documents prior to a public inquiry into the project.

The council also said diaries for 2007 and 2008 were no longer held and correspondence with its tram firm, Tie, had only been kept for three years.

However, yesterday it admitted its response had been wrong, and that most – if not all of the documents – were retained.

A spokesman was unable to say whether any were missing.

Corporate governance director Alastair Maclean said: “The FOI response was not entirely accurate, and we have contacted the applicant with an apology together with a commitment to review the relevant request and issue a correction.

“In particular, Tie’s records relating to the project are currently in the process of being migrated over to the council.”

Lothians MSP Kez Dugdale, who submitted request, said: “I’ve written to chief executive Sue Bruce to demand a full inquiry.”