Non Executive Directorships for Council CEO

The request was successful.

Dear Audit Scotland,

Is the recent non exec directorship appointment of Sue Bruce, CEO for City of Edinburgh Council, to the Scottish and Southern Electricity Company (SSE), consistent with your findings in the May 2013 Best Value Audit of the Council that:

'The council demonstrates a good understanding of the challenges it faces and the need to restore public confidence, which has been damaged in light of high-profile issues such as the trams project and the statutory repairs service. These issues are substantial, and the Commission will continue to monitor progress. Overall, the Commission is concerned about the scale of the challenges that the
council faces'?

Is so how? If not why not?

Yours faithfully,

Gunter Merrow

Alex Devlin, Audit Scotland

Dear Mr Merrow,

 

Section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA) says ‘A
person who requests information from a Scottish public authority which
holds it is entitled to be given it by the authority’.

 

Your request to Audit Scotland under FOISA says:

 

‘Is the recent non exec directorship appointment of Sue Bruce, CEO for
City of Edinburgh Council, to the Scottish and Southern Electricity
Company (SSE), consistent with your findings in the May 2013 Best Value
Audit of the Council that:

'The council demonstrates a good understanding of the challenges it faces
and the need to restore public confidence, which has been damaged in light
of high-profile issues such as the trams project and the statutory repairs
service. These issues are substantial, and the Commission will continue to
monitor progress. Overall, the Commission is concerned about the scale of
the challenges that the council faces'?

 

Is so how? If not why not?’

 

Your request is asking us to formulate an opinion, not to supply you with
information held, and so it does not come under Freedom of Information
legislation. Audit Scotland does however have a correspondence process for
members of the public to bring something to our attention about a Scottish
public body. I have therefore passed your correspondence to a colleague
who deals with correspondence and he will contact you regarding the
matter.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Alex Devlin

Corporate Governance Manager

Audit Scotland

110 George Street

Edinburgh

EH2 4LH

 

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Dear Alex Devlin,

Thank you for your response. I await you colleagues response with interest.

Yours sincerely,

Gunter Merrow

Gillian Battison, Audit Scotland

Dear Mr Merrow

 

I refer to your e-mail to us of 26 August where you expressed your
concerns over the non executive directorship appointment of Sue Bruce,
Chief Executive of City of Edinburgh Council, to the Scottish and Southern
Electricity Company. You refer to our Best Value report on City of
Edinburgh Council of May 2013. Our Best Value report was published just
prior to the announcement of the non executive directorship.

 

The appointed auditor to City of Edinburgh Council is aware of this issue
and has made enquiries relating to potential conflicts of interest. He is
currently preparing his annual audit report and will report any concerns
if they arise. He will continue to monitor the position.

 

Thanks you for drawing your concerns to our attention.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Gillian Battison

Gillian Battison
Project Manager
Audit Scotland
18 George Street
Edinburgh EH2 2QU

Direct Dial: 0131 625 1859
Switchboard: 0845 146 1010
[1]www.audit-scotland.gov.uk

 

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