Audit Scotland has no plans to hold a special investigation into Glasgow City Council (GCC) following the resignation of leader Steven Purcell last week.

 

Following calls for an audit from SNP MP John Mason, who was formerly SNP group leader at the council, this afternoon Audit Scotland issued a statement making it clear there are currently “no plans to carry out any new audit work at the council”, adding that no formal requests have as yet been received. However, the statement also says: “Obviously we would look carefully at any request to examine particular issues of concern”.

 

Audit Scotland will continue to audit the council in the “usual way”, believing that it is up to GCC to “manage its own affairs”.

 

Yesterday, Mason made the call for an investigation, stating that the massive budgets handled by the council made a clear case for Audit Scotland’s involvement.

 

He said: "In relation to the visit of senior police officers to Mr Purcell, we need to know who are the people suggested as having applied pressure to him in terms of possible blackmail threats. And crucially, has this had any impact on public policy in the city of Glasgow?

 

"The people of Glasgow, and Scotland as a whole, deserve to know the full facts."