by Paul Behan

A COUNCILLOR has vowed to hand over a dossier to Police Scotland which he claims shows “corrupt” payments were made while the local authority handed out contracts of work.

Councillor George Black alleges that the local authority handed £2.2m out to businesses illegally.

Now he is to present his findings to police in the hope of a criminal investigation.

In November, the Post told how West Dunbartonshire Council were forced into admitting “significant breaches” were made while awarding contracts – worth around £4.3 million – over a three-year period.

The shock admission came at the audit and performance review committee.

The meeting heard that the council failed to use the proper procurement practices and that in some instances “best value” had not been followed.

Although there was “no evidence” to suggest anything improper took place during the awarding of the contracts, the local authority vowed to clean up its act and ensure that the correct procedures were followed in future.

An action plan was agreed with most of the changes said to be already in place.

At the time committee chairman Jonathan McColl said the issues raised were “extremely serious” but added that there was “no suggestion” that any members of the public, or businesses, “acted inappropriately”.

But in a new twist, Councillor Black insisted that “improper” payments of £2.2m, from the total amount of the work awarded, were made.

He repeated his allegation during the latest audit and performance review committee last Wednesday.

Cllr Black said: “This started out as a simple inquiry laid out in basic form.

“There were seven questions but the responses that came back were not satisfactory, in that they were not answered. The whole thing has been handled badly from the start.

“I will personally ask for a police investigation.”

The controversy stems from a 40-page report from the council’s auditors, which was presented to members at November’s meeting, which was headed: Procurement approved contractors list.

It highlighted a number of issues such as that “the use of pre-approved lists was not in line with best procurement practice” and was in “contravention of the council’s financial regulations”.

The report also highlighted the use of “preferred contractors,” two of which did not have a formal contract with the council but still carried out work for it.

This too, according to the report, was a “contravention of the council’s financial regulations”.

The report also warned that a lack of formal/up-to-date contracts being in place presented “the potential for fraud and corruption” in areas where significant levels of expenditure were incurred.

At Wednesday’s meeting Cllr Black put forward a motion asking the committee to submit the audit’s report to the police for scrutiny.

He said: “I believe there has been corruption in the allocation of £2.2m in contracts.”

But committee chairman Cllr Jonathan McColl was unhappy with the wording of Cllr Black’s motion.

Council leader Martin Rooney said to Cllr Black: “It’s one thing making an allegation but you have to state the nature of it. Is it an officer, is it a business?”

Chairman McColl accused Cllr Rooney of trying to “goad” Cllr Black into naming names, which would effectively see him breach the councillors code of conduct.

Cllr Black’s motion was carried meaning his intention to seek a police investigation will be noted.

Cllr Rooney, said: “George thinks he’s got evidence of wrongdoing but no evidence was found. If there is any criminal activity it must go to the police.”