OIC bin scheme mistakes highlighted

A detailed audit report into the alternate weekly waste collection scheme being introduced by Orkney Islands Council came under the scrutiny of councillors yesterday, Wednesday, when it was described by one councillor has a “horror story.”

The report, presented to councillors by Olwen Sinclair, chief internal auditor at the OIC, was discussed by members of the monitoring and audit committee and highlighted numerous failings in the implementation of the scheme.

Chairman of the committee, David Tullock, described the findings of the audit as “not the best report which had come in front of the committee” and was critical of many of the findings which it brought to the surface.

The report explained how the alternate weekly waste scheme was approved to be brought in by the OIC  back in 2011.

However it stated that the scheme was introduced having been based on draft regulations from the Scottish Government —from which Orkney was later exempt from the following year  — due to being classed as a rural area. It was claimed that councillors were not informed of this fact.

The council rolled out the scheme on the Orkney Mainland following a trial in Westray.

It was vice-chair of the committee Councillor Bill Stout described the report as a  “horror story which should give the officers nightmares”

He added: “There are no lessons to learn from this at all, these are all things that officers should know already.”

Several other councillors were also critical of the findings.

Council official, executive director of development and infrastructure Gavin Barr, told councillors that clearly mistakes had been made, and that he and his department would take full responsibility for those mistakes.

OIC chief Executive Alistair Buchan told the meeting that there were certainly competency issues associated with this experience, and added that the project had been taking place at a time of huge change for the council, which he added, did not create an environment which was conducive in taking the project forward effectively.

“That’s not to downgrade the importance of competency,” he added.

Mr Buchan also said:”For the foreseeable future we will be operating with a slimmed down professional staff ,and at the same time the council will need – given the challenges it is facing – an entrepreneurial risk taking approach, if we are to make the change that is needed to make us fit for purpose for the future. And, in that environment, it is inevitable that mistakes will happen from time to time.”

At the end of the meeting councillors agreed with the recommendations in the report that the committee review the audit findings in order to obtain assurance that action has been taken or agreed when necessary.

• As the meeting was taking place as The Orcadian went to press yesterday, further coverage of the issue will appear next week.