Council worker sacked after ‘fraud’ hearing

GOLF TRIP ROW: Suspended Kenny Muir dismissed

A Dundee council employee who attended a golf trip at the centre of a major corporate fraud probe has been sacked following a disciplinary hearing.

Kenny Muir was hauled before bosses after previously being suspended from his role in construction services.

The department has been investigated after revelations Mr Muir and his former boss attended a “customer event” arranged by a council contractor in Spain.

It is understood officials then widened their inquiries to include a vehicle used by Mr Muir but specific reasons for his dismissal have not been released.

Mr Muir has a right to appeal and councillors could now be asked to make the final call on his future.

The sacking comes amid a number of high-level departures from construction services since allegations first came to light.

When challenged at his home yesterday, Mr Muir pretended he was someone else and would not answer questions.

A Dundee City Council employee who attended a golf trip at the centre of a major corporate fraud probe has been sacked following a disciplinary hearing.

Kenny Muir was hauled before bosses on January 17 on a number of misconduct charges, after previously being suspended from his role in the construction services department.

It is understood he was brought in for the hearing after investigators widened the scope of their inquiries to include a vehicle used by Mr Muir in his role.

Mr Muir was subsequently sacked by the council but the specific reasons for his dismissal have not been released.

An investigation by The Courier established Mr Muir attended a “customer event” on the Spanish coast, organised by contractor Edmundson Electrical in May last year, weeks after the firm began supplying heat and smoke alarms to the authority.

Dundee City Council has confirmed Edmundson was subcontracted the lucrative supply deal by construction services as part of an £8.3 million project. No other company was given an opportunity to bid for the work.

Mr Muir has said he paid his own way for the trip and played no role in awarding the deal, a position also stated by Edmundson and former department head Mark Ross – who also attended the

“Police Scotland continues to investigate the theft of smoke alarms from Dundee City Council, inquiries are ongoing.

POLICE SPOKESWOMAN

holiday, and resigned in October citing ill health.

Both Dundee City Council and Mr Muir refused to comment on details of the misconduct hearing which were passed to The Courier by an individual with knowledge of the proceedings.

When challenged at his home yesterday, Mr Muir pretended he was someone else and would not answer questions.

It is understood he now has the right to appeal the dismissal and elected members could be asked to make the final call on his future.

Mr Muir is the fourth senior employee to leave construction services since September, following the resignations of Mr Ross and electrical supervisor Iain Gardyne, who is accused of selling thousands of pounds’ worth of council smoke alarms online.

Another staff member handed in his resignation earlier this month, citing personal reasons, and several other council employees are understood to have been the subject of inquiries after having their names passed to bosses.

Dundee City Council first launched its investigation into Mr Muir four months ago but Police Scotland confirmed it has received “no reports” in relation to the vehicle used by him.

The Courier revealed earlier this month Mr Gardyne had still not spoken to police after resigning over the smoke alarm accusations in September.

A spokeswoman for the force said: “Police Scotland continues to investigate the theft of smoke alarms from Dundee City Council, inquiries are ongoing.”

A Dundee City Council spokesman said it “does not comment on individual personnel matters”.