Latest news with #CllrDay
The Herald Scotland
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
The inside story of the battle for control of Edinburgh
There might still have been a second Colinton by-election, because the SNP's Marco Biagi would probably still have left when appointed a government special adviser, and without the Spence controversy the Lib Dems would have won that too, giving them 16 seats. But even with 14, the Lib Dems are in pole position at the head of an informal Stop-the-Nats-and-Crazy-Greens coalition which, with Conservative support, has until now kept the bedraggled Labour administration in place. Read more Labour did surprisingly well, topping first preferences despite national chaos over welfare and winter fuel allowances, as well as bruising allegations of sexual harassment against former council group leader Cammy Day, for which police found no evidence of criminality. While a move to make Cllr Day the new planning convener at the final council meeting before the summer recess was wisely shelved – it would have come immediately before the angry debate over former Scottish Information Commissioner Kevin Dunion's report about how complaints against him were handled – the issue of his fitness for a return to a senior position has not gone away. The 11-strong Labour group – it would only have been ten had it not been for Ms Spence's resignation – is unstable because they cannot rely on Leith councillor Katrina Faccenda, already suspended once for voting against the whip, who has refused to accept Cllr Day's return after the end of his suspension. The plan for Cllr Day to be appointed at the next meeting in August after things have settled down presumes all Lib Dem and Conservative councillors will vote in favour, but also if the Lib Dems stick with their previous position of turning down the opportunity to lead the administration. This increasingly looks untenable. The Lib Dems can't continue to stand on a ticket of delivering better services, win the trust of voters and then refuse to take charge, ostensibly because too many of their councillors have other work commitments. Until now, the Conservative group has grudgingly accepted the situation to keep the SNP and their Green friends out of administration, which after the experience of 2017-22 is understandable. Lib-Dems celebrate their surprise victory (Image: free) But the SNP is running out of steam locally and nationally – beaten into fourth in last week's by-election – and in what were once Conservative heartlands they do not present a threat. Conversely, since the 2022 elections and all subsequent by-elections bar the unusual circumstances of the Colinton re-run in January, the Lib Dems are not just eating the Tories' lunch, but their breakfast and supper too, and Reform is taking home the leftovers in a doggy bag. It is therefore not in the Conservative interest for the Lib Dems to continue evading responsibility for running the city and being held to the promises in their many election leaflets. The three Conservative councillors who were around in 2007 when the Lib Dems formed a coalition with the SNP will remember just how hard they found it, and five years later the 17 Lib Dem councillors were reduced to three. But there are those in the Conservative group who cannot see past the old constitutional battle lines, failing to accept voters once prepared to lend them their support have moved on from prioritising the threat of independence. No longer the main alternative to Labour or the Nationalists, Edinburgh Conservatives now face an existential threat from both left and right, yet it appears some councillors would rather not force the Lib Dems into administration and instead approve a £40,000 a year convenership for Cammy Day to keep the SNP out. Like Cllr Faccenda, several Conservatives and Lib Dems have a significant problem with welcoming back Cllr Day as if nothing had happened, and the lack of any sign of contrition from the ex-leader has not helped. If not quite a full split, there is now a high chance of serious division in the Tory group, and as it stands if just four Conservatives oppose Cllr Day's appointment it will fail. The obvious solution is for the Lib Dems to step up to the plate, and with the next full council meeting not till August 28 they have all summer to reach a decision, time they intend to take, with nothing ruled in or out, and that presumably includes some being prepared to reduce their other commitments. Read more Labour won't give up a raft of convenerships and the accompanying responsibility payments – up to the £71,500 the leader Jane Meagher receives – without a fight, but they might have no option with a revived pact with the SNP ruled out by the national leadership. It's either that or letting the SNP lead a chaotic minority administration which will probably be unable to pass a budget. But if the Conservatives are to survive as a council force in 2027, the Lib Dems need to be prised out of the same comfort zone enjoyed by the SNP at Holyrood for so long, of taking responsibility for nothing and credit for everything and making electoral gains across swathes of middle-class Edinburgh simply by not being the Conservatives. It all seems such a long time since 2017 when the Conservatives took just short of 30 per cent of first preference votes and returned 18 councillors compared to just six Lib Dems, but that was before Partygate, Liz Truss and Reform. It's the same situation across the country, and former Morningside councillor Mark McInnes, now Lord McInnes of Kilwinning and the UK Conservatives' newly appointed chief executive, has his work cut out. John McLellan is a former Edinburgh Evening News and Scotsman editor. He served as a City of Edinburgh councillor for five years for the Conservatives. Brought up in Glasgow, McLellan has lived and worked in Edinburgh for 30 years
Scotsman
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Cammy Day accused of 'drunken tirade' that left fellow Labour councillor in tears
Former council leader Cammy Day has been accused of subjecting a fellow Labour councillor to a 'drunken tirade' at a Christmas party that left her in tears. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Councillor Katrina Faccenda said she '[does] not welcome' Cllr Day's return to the party's group, as Edinburgh Council agreed steps to address the council's 'culture of hospitality' – including drinking events on city property – and to improve the process of handling complaints against councillors. These were part of the recommendations from an independent report into the city's handling of misconduct allegations against Cllr Day, who attended the meeting remotely. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cammy Day has been cleared by police of inappropriate behaviour | TSPL Cllr Faccenda said: 'I have been subjected to a drunken tirade by Councillor Day that actually forced me to leave a Christmas party in tears.' She also said that issues in the party had led her to sleepless nights, and that she had considered not attending Thursday's full council meeting due to Cllr Day's possible presence. Cllr Day resigned as council leader in December last year over allegations that he had sent unwanted inappropriate messages to two Ukrainian refugees. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He was also administratively suspended by the Labour Party, pending an investigation. The council agreed to hold an investigation into the city's handling of misconduct complaints against him and other councillors and commissioned former Scottish information commissioner Kevin Dunion to carry it out. Mr Dunion's report, debated by councillors on Thursday, found that the city had 'inadequately' handled complaints into Cllr Day's behaviour. It further suggested that the council's 'culture of hospitality' – including drinking events on city property – needed to be addressed. Councillors have agreed to take action on recommendations made by the Dunion Report, including reforms to the city's whistleblowing system and improving safeguarding in the council. Cllr Day was recently readmitted to the Labour Party and the council's Labour group after a police investigation cleared him of criminal wrongdoing. And an investigation by Labour cleared him to return to the party. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad SNP group leader Simita Kumar said the report revealed a 'deeply troubling catalogue of allegations against Councillor Day'. 'The report references several instances and a number of individuals over a significant period of time,' she said. 'I am appalled to read the complainant's disclosures were dismissed as gossip. 'While councillor Day's actions may not have crossed a criminal threshold, his conduct is not compatible with the standards expected of us.' And she said the decision to readmit Cllr Day to the Labour Party was 'rushed and reckless', adding: 'This is a Labour group that have abandoned their moral compass.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Earlier in the meeting, council leader Jane Meagher strongly affirmed that she welcomed the findings of the Dunion Report, which investigated the handling of reports against Cllr Day. SNP group leader Simita Kumar asked Cllr Meagher if she'd seen the full contents of the report. Cllr Meagher replied: 'As you know, as council leader, I take all complaints seriously. The party investigates all complaints in line with their rules and procedures. 'These investigations are done by specially trained staff in the party's governance and legal units. Quite rightly, I am not privy to any details of the Labour Party's deliberations. 'I do know that, after an investigation by the Labour Party, Cllr Day's administrative suspension has been lifted, and no conditions were attached. I look forward to working with Cammy again.'
The Herald Scotland
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
I'm not sure Edinburgh Council's big problem is too many Xmas parties
But in a 30-page report at the end of which Mr Dunion makes 15 recommendations, the last has attracted much attention, for the council to 'consider the appropriateness of social events and hospitality arrangements'. Before anyone gets the impression that Edinburgh's City Chambers is awash with Bacchanalian excess, in my five years I never witnessed anything remotely untoward. Read more Maybe I just wasn't invited to the hottest events, but my recollection, primarily of Conservative Group Christmas receptions, was of a few glasses of wine and supermarket nibbles ─ funded by us from our group subscriptions ─ and everyone mucking in to clear away in very good time to repair to a nearby boozer where it was someone else's turn to serve the drinks. The Labour Group bash did have disco music and lights, but I didn't stay long in case I cramped their style. I was either unaware or not bothered if the SNP, Lib Dems or Greens threw parties, swell or otherwise. But it seems the festive gatherings were too much for some who spoke to Mr Dunion, either that or he just didn't like the principle, but that wasn't the reason he was called in. Of the other 14 recommendations in this keenly anticipated report to next Thursday's full council meeting, 12 involve a review of existing whistleblowing and complaints procedures, to consider a tweak here or a twiddle there. Better record keeping, clear routes of complaint, better HR support for staff, and that kind of thing. There is a clear risk Mr Dunion will be accused of producing another whitewash, but although he did not have compelling authority, resources or time to dig deeper into the allegations, there is still plenty to make uncomfortable reading for some. First, reading between the lines, I believe there is a strong inference that if the harassment allegations against Cllr Day had been substantiated - which they were not - they would at the very least have represented inappropriate behaviour for someone holding a prominent public role. 'Councillors are personally responsible for their own behaviour and for ensuring they meet the expectations of those holding office,' he wrote. 'It is not just about obeying but reflecting on how their behaviour may be regarded.' Quite. Cammy Day outside the City Chambers (Image: free) Second, the 'neither confirm nor deny' response from Susanne Tanner KC, to the direct question of whether she had been made aware of previous allegations against Cllr Day during her 2021 examination of the council's whistleblowing culture, was rather undermined by former Education, Children and Families Vice-Convener Alison Dickie confirming she submitted a dossier of safeguarding allegations, including Cllr Day, to the Tanner Review team, and raised it with her in a subsequent meeting. Strangely, I recall Ms Tanner was not so reticent in answering direct questions from Councillor Day about councillors' alleged behaviour ─ mine, and I was subsequently cleared by the Ethical Standards Commission ─ when presenting her report, but that's another story. However, Mr Dunion's examination reveals that one senior Edinburgh councillor is a copper-bottomed, ocean-going liar who is unfit to hold public office. The councillor cannot be identified because there is no substantiating evidence. They were among those councillors emailed by Chief Executive Paul Lawrence in December last year to inform them about details of properties relating to Cllr Day, and the email contents appeared 'in its entirety' in the Daily Record shortly after. Mr Dunion spoke to them all and each denied being the source. One of them is not telling the truth. 'There are not any proportionate means within the limited capacity of this review to pursue this further,' he said. 'There is no doubt however that this is a deliberate breach of the Councillors Code of Conduct. The almost immediate passing of this to the press, is a betrayal of trust.' I know that if I was one of those who hadn't done the leaking, I'd be concerned someone might think it was me, and they have no way of showing they were not to blame. Read more There are more obvious criticisms, particularly how then council leader Adam Nols-McVey handled allegations by a man who claimed to have been groomed as a 15-year-old in 2010 by an unnamed councillor ─ who Mr Dunion confirms was Cllr Day ─ when he was in care after suffering sexual abuse. The man had emailed Cllr Nols-McVey in 2018, when Cllr Day was his deputy, but Nols-McVey did not inform then Chief Executive Andrew Kerr. He told Mr Dunion he spoke to a police chief superintendent who said nothing could be done without the name of either alleged victim or perpetrator. The email and subsequent messages from the alleged victim could not be traced because, Mr Dunion noted, the complaints were not shared and only retained in recipients' mailboxes. Mr Dunion's conclusion is clear. 'The seriousness of the claim of potentially criminal behaviour by a councillor, who might be the Deputy Leader, is such that the emails should have been shared by the Council Leader with the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer,' he said. 'They would then have been in a position to decide whether to contact the police.' After the 2022 elections, the SNP-Labour coalition ended, and Cllr Nols McVey was replaced by Cllr Day as leader of a minority Labour administration. Mr Dunion doesn't say if that had any bearing on events. But Christmas parties? Forget it. John McLellan is a former Edinburgh Evening News and Scotsman editor. He served as a City of Edinburgh councillor for five years. Brought up in Glasgow, McLellan has lived and worked in Edinburgh for 30 years
Edinburgh Reporter
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Edinburgh Reporter
Report finds inadequacies and lost emails at the City Chambers
The City of Edinburgh Council will next week discuss a report by former Information Commissioner, Kevin Dunion, which he has presented to them after a four month long investigation. In February the council appointed Mr Dunion to report to them on matters surrounding former Council Leader, Cllr Cammy Day, who had resigned as council leader in December 2024 amid allegations of misconduct against him. In the report Mr Dunion suggests ending Christmas parties held by political groups within the City Chambers, questions the working arrangements of the council where officers work in Waverley Court while councillors work in offices on the High Street, and suggests a refreshed induction and training process for new councillors in regard to the Councillors Code of Conduct, with an annual refresher for existing councillors. Mr Dunion said many of his interviewees suggested the practice of holding such social events in the City Chambers should cease. He reminds councillors that the Code of Conduct revised in 2021 states that each one of the 63 elected in Edinburgh gives a personal undertaking: 'I will meet the public's expectations by ensuring that my conduct is above reproach.' There are also declarations on the part of the councillor that they will not engage in bullying or harassment. Chief Executive Paul Lawrence said: 'I want to thank Kevin Dunion for leading this sensitive review and for his report, not least given the complexity of the brief and tight timescales. 'I know this must have been challenging and a difficult experience for many people and I particularly want to thank those who came forward to be interviewed or provided information to the review. Your input is very much appreciated. 'Subject to approval by councillors next Thursday, we will bring a further report back to the Policy and Sustainability Committee in August, outlining our proposed actions in response to Mr Dunion's recommendations.' The Dunion Report Cllr Day denied any wrongdoing, saying that any communication of explicit photos on dating apps, which was the inappropriate behaviour he was accused of, was his personal business, but he stepped down as leader on 9 December 2024. He was also administratively suspended by the Labour Party. Police Scotland said there was not enough evidence to mount an investigation and the Ethical Standards Commissioner confirmed to The Edinburgh Reporter in April this year that there were no other complaints 'currently being investigated against Cllr Day' (except an historic one regarding a Labour Christmas party and whether booking procedures had been followed correctly). That complaint was made against Cllr Day and five of his Labour colleagues but was dismissed. Mr Dunion was charged with considering whether the allegations against Cllr Day were properly considered and investigated in line with the council's policies and procedures. The allegations involved two whistleblowing disclosures made in 2023, a complaint to the Chief Executive, Andrew Kerr, in December 2023 and an anonymous complaint to the then Council Leader, Cllr Adam McVey, in 2018. Regarding this last complaint Mr Dunion writes: 'The Business Manager [to the Council Leader] at the time said that they would deal with it and responded on 17 May 2018 as follows: 'I am very sorry to read your email and as I handle the Leader's emails, I am responding to ask you to contact the police as we cannot take any action on such a serious allegation. Also, I am concerned that you need to approach someone or an organisation to help support you through this.' According to the former Council Leader, he did not see this response sent by his Business Manager until it was published online in 2024.' In relation to the 2018 allegation the finding is that the former council leader (Cllr McVey) 'now accepts that he should, at the least, have informed the Monitoring Officer'. He confirmed reading the email and discussing it with staff. Emails from 2018 – despite extensive investigations by an IT consultancy – could not be recovered, as the Council Leader's Business Manager had left the council by then, and that email account was removed. Although Cllr McVey mentioned the matter to a Chief Superintendent with whom he had a regular meeting, he was told that unless there was someone named (victim or perpetrator) then nothing could be done by the police. Despite allegations on social media and in the press of the content of the complaint, the handling of this is defined by Mr Dunion as inadequate – mainly due to the insufficient records kept by the council. Mr Dunion conducted interviews with 29 people and received 20 written representations from current and former councillors and council staff. All councillors had been invited to interview. Chief Executive Paul Lawrence said in his report to next week's council: 'As part of the remit all elected members and colleagues were invited to participate in the process.' SafeCall The whistleblowing procedure SafeCall deals with allegations of misconduct among council staff, and Mr Dunion suggests extending that to councillors as it might 'discourage unacceptable behaviour'. There is also a suggestion this confidential service could be extended to members of the public who could then use it to retain their anonymity. Mr Dunion said in the report: 'Even if Safecall advised them to go to the police, as the Business Manager did, at least a record of the complaint would exist, and the Monitoring Officer would have been aware of it. Consideration should be given to routing complainants to Safecall for the purpose of confidential information gathering and advice.' Leaks Mr Dunion was also asked to consider apparent leaks of confidential emails to the press and whether safeguards in the council are sufficient to prevent any instances of behaviour such as that alleged against the former council leader. He speculates that leaks may be politically motivated: 'Unfortunately, however, as has occurred there may be a temptation to leak details to cause political or personal embarrassment.' A confidential email from the Chief Executive to political group leaders found its way into the Daily Record in December 2024. As well as this, Mr Dunion found that text from a confidential report dating from May 2024 to the Whistleblowing Sub-Committee was leaked by someone who had access to the report – and who concluded that the unnamed senior individual in question was Cllr Day. Mr Dunion appears quite frustrated by this leak and said: 'I have interviewed the members of the Sub-Committee. They clearly understand the confidentiality requirements placed upon them regarding the reports they receive, as well as the verbal updates and discussions at committee. I have individually challenged each one over the leak, as to whether they are directly responsible for providing it to The Times or have disclosed the information to someone else who may have done so. All have denied doing so. Many have expressed a view on this however there is no evidence which would allow an assertion to be made by me. Nor are there any proportionate means within the limited capacity of this review to do more. 'There is no doubt however that this constitutes an egregious breach of the confidentiality requirements of Councillors Code of Conduct and undermines confidence in the whistleblowing process. It calls into question whether whistleblowing complaints regarding councillors should be investigated or whether the Whistleblowing Sub-Committee has to be provided with information regarding such investigations.' Mr Dunion has also suggested that the council uses the 2025 staff engagement survey for feedback on speaking up and raising concerns about possible bullying and harassment from councillors. Cllr Cammy Day was elected as Council Leader in 2022 Christmas parties The report mentions in particular the Christmas parties held by all political groups within the City Chambers when alcohol is served. There is a council policy on alcohol for staff, but not for councillors, and it advises staff not to allow themselves to become intoxicated or their judgement impaired. If they do then there is a clear warning of disciplinary action. After a 2023 party it is alleged that a young Ukrainian man made a complaint of sexual harassment to a councillor who communicated it to councillors in another political party. 'It referenced unsolicited messages and images being sent through social media which continued even after asking for the behaviour to stop. The recipient was said to be feeling extremely harassed.' There is a complex timeline regarding this complaint and one other which were made anonymously or semi-anonymously. Neither were followed up on by the complainants, with the first unable to provide evidence. As is usual, nothing of these whistleblowing complaints was communicated to Cllr Day until December 2024. The report states: 'The complained of councillor is not mentioned by name in the email exchanges. However, in conversation prior to the formal email being submitted, the Chief Executive was made aware that it related to Councillor Day.' The Chief Executive did raise this matter with police, but they deemed there was insufficient evidence for any investigation to take place. In regard to this complaint Mr Dunion was content that proper procedure had been followed. Mr Dunion has now presented the report in which he outlines in some detail what happened since December 2024, and makes recommendations as to what the council will do about his findings. Recommendations Mr Dunion has made 14 recommendations: (i) Review procedures currently in place for dealing with potentially inappropriate behaviour by Councillors. Clarify and expand routes of complaints. (ii) Ensure, whatever the source, that a record of complaints, and responses to them, are maintained, even if it is informally addressed or resolved, to reflect the Councillors Code of Conduct provisions regarding Bullying and Harassment. (iii) Distinguish between the source of complaints. For staff members, the response should seek to align with HR policies and have a clear escalation and feedback route, as well as consideration of recording and monitoring to allow actions to be agreed and implemented. (iv) Review and communicate safeguarding arrangements for those who raise complaints. (v) Ensure that Council staff, line managers, Speak Up Supporters, Trade Unions and Colleague Networks are aware of the provisions at (iii) and (iv) above. (vi) Where appropriate, details in relation to specific managerial response or handling of complaints to be passed to Service Director – HR for consideration of potential actions in line with relevant HR Policy. (vii) Consider inclusion of relevant speaking up and raising concerns questions to gain wider staff feedback as part of colleague engagement survey due to be conducted during 2025 to allow further actions to be considered. (viii) Review the Whistleblowing policy and the extent to which complaints against councillors from the public will be accepted for information gathering and escalation. (ix) Consideration should be given to referring complainants to Safecall for the purpose of information gathering and advice. (x) Review the scrutiny function of the Whistleblowing Sub-Committee, as to whether or to what extent it can propose operational actions to resolve complaints. (xi) In the event it is decided to accept Whistleblowing complaints against councillors, consider measures to avoid conflict of interest and reduce the prospect of breaches of confidence, such as restricted information being provided to the Whistleblowing Sub-Committee. (xii) Refresh induction and training process for new councillors and undertake annual refresher training for existing Councillors on Councillors Code of Conduct, incorporating the Protocol for Relationships between Councillors and Employees and Advice Note for Councillors on Bullying and Harassment, as well as any other relevant City of Edinburgh Council specific guidance or procedures, including that when agreed at (i) above. (xiii) As part of wider culture and fostering trust, consider the impact of the current working locations, and relationship and networking opportunities with Councillors and staff. (xiv) Consider the appropriateness of social events and hospitality arrangements. Edinburgh City Chambers. Photo: © 2022, Martin P. McAdam Like this: Like Related
