Edinburgh children's homes scandal will now be discussed by councillors. But will it be in public or in secret? – John McLellan

At the heart of the deepening scandal in Edinburgh Secure Services (ESS) are unanswered questions about why promised safeguards for vulnerable young people in the council’s care weren’t in place long before a whistle-blower sounded the alarm about alleged physical and mental abuse in autumn 2020.

Councillors have not yet had a proper discussion about the investigation into Edinburgh Secure Services that found 'illegality, maladministration and injustice'

It now appears that guidelines on restraints recommended in 2015 were not followed and further action to address concerns in 2017 wasn’t implemented, and there hasn’t been any adequate explanation.

Nor is any likely to be forthcoming because most ─ but not all ─ of those directly responsible have left and are beyond any kind of inquiry the council can mount.

Neither has there been any proper discussion of the implications of the investigation into ESS which found “illegality, maladministration and injustice”, and no matter how many recommendations it contains, the council’s track record is of failing to meet its commitments. It’s simply not good enough to claim the bad apples are all out the barrel.

Thanks to some quick thinking by Conservative group leader Iain Whyte, there will now be a debate at an emergency education, children and families committee next Tuesday, which should include discussion about further allegations about ESS published in last weekend’s Sunday Post.

It will be no surprise if efforts are made to keep the debate private, and so keep the public in the dark. That would only strengthen the case for a judge-led public inquiry, because the one thing Edinburgh Council has lacked for years now is the disinfectant of sunlight.

John McLellan is a Conservative councillor for Craigentinny/Duddingston