Lack of Scottish executive of scrutiny over lavish spending at water regulator

The Scottish executive failed to correctly scrutinise lavish spending at a frame charged with regulating Scottish Water, in line with a brand new file.

Holyrood’s public audit committee stated a loss of expenditure oversight on the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (Wics) was once “simply unacceptable”.

A file through the auditor normal detailed how public cash was once spent sending a senior supervisor on a route at Harvard Business School in the USA, Mulberry sun shades and business-class flights to New Zealand.

A Scottish executive spokesperson stated steps were taken to enhance control on the fee, however said earlier expenditure “was completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Convener Richard Leonard described probably the most proof heard through the Scottish Parliament committee as “simply extraordinary”.

He stated the fee had “failed to live up to the standards required of a public body”.

Mr MacRae give up in October remaining yr, months after a letter from internet 0 and effort secretary Mairi McAllan criticised the best way wherein Mr Sutherland’s resignation was once treated.

But Richard Leonard stated the Scottish executive were accountable for a loss of vital oversight of the fee’s spending, which had allowed it to proceed.

He stated: “Some of the evidence we have heard about the arrangements in place at Wics was simply extraordinary.

“That the frame, charged with selling long-term price from Scottish Water to its shoppers, itself didn’t are living as much as the factors required of a public frame left the committee with deep issues.”

He added: “But the committee is obvious that there additionally seems to had been a significant loss of oversight from the Scottish executive.

“This failure from those who are meant to be safeguarding the public purse is simply unacceptable.”

The fee’s function is to advertise the pursuits of water and sewerage shoppers and make sure Scottish Water supplies cost-effective products and services to ministerial goals.

The committee’s file said there were well-liked adjustments to the board and control for the reason that auditor normal’s findings had been printed.

However, it steered the present board to go through refresher coaching on their roles and tasks to be sure that the failure of tasks does no longer occur once more.

Leonard stated: “We have heard about significant changes within Wics and the organisation’s commitment to improve the governance arrangements. These are clearly welcome.

“But we wish to see concrete proof of those adjustments to be sure that the unacceptable tradition that was once in position has actually long past.”