The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Golf trip set up by council contractor at centre of fraud probe was not declared
HOLIDAY: Two staff members enjoyed Spanish ‘customer event’
A Spanish golf trip arranged by a Dundee City Council contractor and attended by two senior staff members was not declared on the authority’s hospitality register, it can be revealed.
Edmundson Electrical confirmed the council’s former head of construction services Mark Ross and colleague Kenny Muir attended a “customer event” it organised in May, just weeks after the company was awarded a lucrative smoke alarm contract.
Mr Ross and Mr Muir have both been involved in a major corporate fraud probe into the deal, which an investigation by The Courier established was awarded to Edmundson without ever going out to tender.
Official records show the golf trip, which was arranged by the firm, was never recorded on the authority’s gift and hospitality register, a list of items or services provided to employees by external organisations.
The register’s guidance note states staff must not accept any gifts or hospitality from a supplier or contractor.
Dundee City Council’s legal department and chief executive David Martin have both said Edmundson Electrical was subcontracted the deal by its construction services department, where both Mr Ross and Mr Muir worked.
It is understood documentation has been provided to the local authority to support claims the pair paid their own way for the trip. Mr Ross and Mr Muir have also claimed they were not involved in negotiating the supply contract.
The council refused to comment on how such an excursion should be recorded when employees claim to have paid for themselves.
However, Councillor Kevin Keenan, convener of the authority’s scrutiny committee, insisted staff should not attend any trips organised by council contractors and if they do, details should “at least” be properly declared.
Mr Keenan said: “It seems to me a company like Edmundson would realise they shouldn’t be offering a trip like this to council staff, whether they paid for it themselves or otherwise.
“The perception of hospitality is one thing but I would have thought some of these things would at least have to be declared.
“These events aren’t just about ‘can you come up to our warehouse and see how we stack our shelves’. The council needs to give a clear explanation of what’s going on.”
The guidance note attached to the gift register states any offers of hospitality “may not be accepted unless with the prior approval of the chief executive, who will also determine whether it should be declared”.
The council refused to say whether Mr Martin was aware of the trip prior to the fraud probe.
It also initially refused to turn over its hospitality register but was later forced to give details to The Courier using freedom of information legislation.
According to the document, no council employee recorded gifts or hospitality provided by Edmundson Electrical or its sister company the Electric Center at any point between May 2017 and late October 2019.
Mr Ross quit his role as head of construction services in the midst of the council probe, saying he was standing down due to ill health. Mr Muir was suspended after his name was passed to investigators by a whistleblower.
It is understood fraud officers are currently probing the alleged misuse of a council vehicle by Mr Muir, and that he is still employed by Dundee City Council.
A spokesman for the authority said: “The council does not comment on individual personnel matters and it would not be appropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation.”
Edmundson Electrical previously said Mr Ross and Mr Muir “covered their own expenses” for the trip and were not involved in negotiating the supply arrangement for the smoke alarms. It did not respond to a request for comment.
Mr Ross and Mr Muir declined to comment.