Published: Tuesday, 23rd June, 2009 10:00am

COUNCIL IN CRISIS

Print | Email

AS demoralised staff prepare for more humiliation after a scathing report on West Dunbartonshire Council, the chief executive has announced he wants to quit.

The news was followed by calls for every councillor to stand down to allow mass by-elections in order to kick start the clean-up.

Top man David McMillan"s leadership was heavily criticised in an Audit Scotland (AS) report published last week and his decision to go has been described as 'jumping ship'.

Mr McMillan officially requested he be allowed to take early retirement just days after the dismal report was published.

In his letter he had a swipe at councillors saying some had 'systematically undermined' him.

The AS report also rebuked the behaviour of councillors and the high level of political in-fighting which has stifled attempts at long-needed improvement.

This has led outspoken Socialist councillor Jim Bollan to call on all elected members to resign and stand in by-elections to 'wipe the slate clean'.

Suspended Bollan, whose own 'poor' behaviour was singled out in the report, dismissed the criticism levelled against him and brazenly said he was willing to let the public decide if they want him to remain in his job.

He said: 'I am prepared to accept this challenge if my twenty-one colleagues agree this is a way forward to start with a clean slate.'