An apology is due

Just back from a day in Glasgow ... following several hours of scintillating election-training: I love it really ;-)

Anyhow, the Gathering saga rumbles on and - I have to say - I'm increasingly amazed at the incredulity of some of those involved: check out this story from today's Evening News ...

... now, as hopefully most readers will know, I try really hard never to personalise issues on the blog and do my utmost to keep my ramblings about the politics involved and not the personalities. I do actually believe that the vast, vast majority of Local Councillors are doing the job they do because they want to help improve things for their local community and the wider city --- and I hold that belief for all the political parties represented on the Council. And in my humble opinion, it's rarely sensible to 'play the man' rather than 'play the ball'.

But, sometimes it's hard to avoid the personal and the Gathering issue is quickly becoming such a case-in-point and I hope those involved - whom I am referring to below - start to 'get it' and take the appropriate action ...

... first off, just read today's article again - please do - and then take some time (especially if you've been personally involved in this saga) to FULLY READ these links:

• Scottish Parliament Public Audit Committee transcript from 3rd November 2010 (click on 'Section 23 Reports', then 'The Gathering 2009')
• Scottish Parliament Public Audit Committee written evidence from 1st December 2010
• Scottish Parliament Public Audit Committee 'Gathering Report' of 24th February 2011

I know that's a lot of text - but if you are involved in this saga you really should read the lot; but as a minimum you might like to focus (in particular) on the second document from 1st December 2010 and specifically the written evidence (written NOT oral) from the Council's Media Manager and the Council's ex-Head of Communications ... read pages 12 through to 29 ... PLEASE read them in full.

When you're finished reading those pages, ask yourself once again why you think the Scottish Parliament Audit Committee (a cross-Party Committee of 8 MSPs) unanimously agreed that the ORAL evidence of two senior officers and two senior politicians - none of whom could remember the key details of the meeting on Wednesday 14th October 2009 - wasn't credible?

And after you've had some time to reflect on that - maybe you should consider whether an apology is required to certain Officers of the Council ...

... and you might even consider whether it is indeed appropriate for the Council's own Audit Committee to look at this issue, so that the Council can ensure proper procedures are in place to stop this type of damaging episode happening again.

But, frankly, I've come to the conclusion - as I have read all of the documents above (very carefully indeed) - that the most pressing matter now is for an apology to be issued as soon as possible.

It is the least that certain Officers of the Council now deserve.