Council arts officer axed over £10k show contract

Claims made of falsified email within tendering process

A Dundee City Council education officer has been sacked over claims he sent a “falsified email” during the tendering process for a £10,000 local authority contract.

Kenny Christie, education support officer for arts and culture with the council, appeared before officials over claims he interfered in the tendering process to provide sound technology for Dundee Schools Musical Theatre (DSMT) for three shows last summer.

Mr Christie, who has worked for the council for 13 years, has strenuously denied the allegations and confirmed he will be appealing against the decision.

He was previously director with DSMT but has since left the company, which is funded by the council.

The allegations centre on Blue Parrot Production and Events, based in Edinburgh.

It is understood Blue Parrot missed the tender deadline for the DSMT contract and when an email from the company was forwarded to the tender team, the date had allegedly been tampered with to make it look like it had been submitted on time.

Mr Christie has denied all links to the scandal and said: “I received a letter from Dundee City Council today, January 29.

“I can confirm that I am not working for Dundee City Council in any capacity. “I have been removed from my post. “The council has accused me of deliberately forwarding a falsified email. There is no suggestion that I personally falsified this email.

“The suggestion is that I forwarded the email after it had been falsified by someone else. I refute the allegations and I confirm I will be appealing against my removal.”

DSMT producer Lina Waghorn said: “I am shocked and saddened that Kenny Christie is no longer working with the council.

“He was a great asset to DSMT and an inspirational teacher.”

It is understood students at DSMT were told Kris Mordente, a St John’s Academy teacher, would be taking over.

A city council spokesman said: “We do not comment on individual personnel matters.”

Producer Lina Waghorn with former director Kenny Christie at Dundee Rep.