Eco worrier
Scottish Government accused of wasting taxpayers’ cash after not filling new role
TAXPAYERS have been hit with a £27,000 bill after the Scottish Government failed to hire a Net Zero tsar. A recruitment process for a new eco chief led to no one being appointed to the £122,00-a-year post. Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “Blowing this amount of public money is incompetent.” The SNP/Green Government, which has made combating climate change a priority, has vowed to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045. They last year advertised for two Director General posts – one for Net Zero and another for the Economy. The Net Zero role was hailed as an “outstanding opportunity” to lead 4000 staff and be responsible for a £5.4billion budget. Applications had to be in by the end of July last year, with shortlisting scheduled for mid-August, followed by assessments and a final panel in September. However, a report by the Audit Scotland watchdog revealed the Government had been “unsuccessful” in finding “appointable” candidates. Figures released by the Government show the recruitment process for both director general posts cost the public purse £27,219.
This covered executive search, advertising and assessment centre costs.
The Government was criticised in June after again missing its target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Figures for 2019 show a fall of 51.5 per cent against the baseline, well short of the 55 per cent target.
Lennon said: “All eyes were on Scotland last year with Glasgow staging the COP26 climate summit.
“We should have been able to attract the best talent and I hope the Scottish Government’s missed climate targets are not a deterrent.”
Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur said: “In the midst of a climate emergency, the SNP government’s inability to fill such a key role is more than a little embarrassing.
“That this has come at no small cost to the taxpayer only makes matters worse.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The recruitment panel agreed against appointment at this time and further decisions about filling the role will be made by the new Permanent Secretary later this year.”