Sean Bell case is far from the only serious matter facing Edinburgh Council – John McLellan

It has taken around a year for the inquiry into the behaviour of deceased senior social worker Sean Bell to be completed, and the recommendations from report author Susanne Tanner QC to be fully accepted.

Edinburgh City Chambers has many complicated matters to address (Picture: Neil Hanna)

But the process is far from over, with questions about the misuse of public funds still to be answered, and further claims about the extent to which Bell manipulated council budgets and recruitment processes to his own ends in 2011 emerging over the weekend.

This episode was examined by an external law firm at the time and the council believes it had been concluded, but it is possible for it to be re-opened by the inquiry team if councillors agree the likely outcome justifies the expense.

That calculation cannot be based on money alone when other people damaged by Bell’s behaviour still want justice, as do those who have given evidence to the ongoing overall review of council management culture.

With a care abuse victim having only just won £100,000 compensation after a four-year legal battle, and a costs settlement still to be reached after the council lost a six-year court fight with the Travers family over their harassment case, these matters will not be settled quickly.

These costs and timescales are dwarfed by the £12m spent on the tram inquiry, yet after seven years there is still no sign of the report. Approved by Parliament, it’s surely time for MSPs to publicly ask why publication is being delayed.

Edinburgh Council can’t properly move on until all these matters are fully and openly addressed.

John McLellan is a Conservative councillor for Craigentinny/Duddingston

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