Watchdog orders an inquiry into departure of council chief

SCOTLAND'S local government watchdog yesterday ordered a public hearing into a local authority's handling of the departure of its controversial chief executive.

The Accounts Commission is to hold a public hearing into Shetland Islands Council and the departure of David Clark.

It will be the first public hearing ordered into a Scottish council since 2008, when the watchdog investigated the financial crisis at Aberdeen City Council.

The Accounts Commission voted to order the public hearing following a meeting in Edinburgh yesterday to discuss the scathing report on the Clark affair published this month by Caroline Gardner, Scotland's Controller of Audit.

Her report revealed that it cost the council 306,000 for the "golden handshake" that paved the way for Mr Clark to leave his post after an eight-month spell in office mired in scandal and controversy.

Her damning report also criticised the council's recruitment and selection process and concluded that the furore surrounding Mr Clark's spell as chief executive had had a major impact on working relationships within the council.

A spokeswoman for the watchdog said yesterday: "The hearing will be a public meeting and will be held in a venue on the Shetland Islands within the next few months. Further details will be announced in due course."

Commission chairman John Baillie said it was "particularly interested to hear firsthand from the council and other relevant parties to … understand better the council's situation".

Sandy Cluness, the convener of the islands council, said he would welcome the opportunity for transparency that the hearing would bring. He said: "At least we'll get all things out into the open."

The council is due to discuss the Controller of Audit's report at a meeting on 19 May.