A report has found that Renfrewshire Council, whose ‘gross incompetence’ left a community short of hundreds of school places, has again failed to be transparent with residents on school provision.
The new report by the Accounts Commission scrutinises how Renfrewshire responded to an independent review that uncovered ‘fundamental and obvious flaws’ in how it calculated the number of primary school places needed for Dargavel Village, a new 4,000-home settlement.
But the Commission also found that the local authority risks repeating past mistakes, having now ‘failed to engage appropriately or transparently with communities’ over the expansion of secondary school Park Mains.
The watchdog has asked auditors to urgently investigate a range of issues at Renfrewshire by June, noting that it reserves the right to hold a public hearing if unsatisfied with the findings.
The council’s miscalculations on school provision for Dargavel Village will cost an estimated £60m to rectify, as impacts ‘continue to be felt within the local community’, the report also found.
This bill will exacerbate an already ‘tough’ financial situation and require difficult decisions on spending, the Commission warned.
Its report does note that the council has effective governance arrangements and an action plan to address failings, but stressed that it must implement this plan ‘quickly and transparently’.
A council spokesperson said the authority is delivering its action plan ‘at pace’ but understands the Commission’s desire for further reassurance.
The spokesperson said: ‘We note (and accept) criticism of our initial engagement on the council’s decision to extend Park Mains, but the rationale for this and the financial and educational impacts of the alternatives have since been shared in detail, and we can evidence wide and positive engagement as we have progressed our planning.’
They added: ‘We remain committed to getting things right for families in Dargavel and the wider Park Mains school community, to expanding school capacity and providing the best possible educational experience for local children, and to ensuring all local stakeholders are engaged and their voices heard.’
