Edinburgh council's implementation of whistleblowing inquiry recommendations will cost £2.5m a year

A council shake-up including increased training and beefed-up complaints investigation in the wake of the Tanner report is set to cost £2.5 million a year.

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Top QC Susanne Tanner made a total of 50 recommendations following her review of whistleblowing and the council’s wider organisational culture last year.

She had also conducted a parallel inquiry into the case of Sean Bell, a senior social worker and serial sex abuser whose conduct had been reported within the council without appropriate action being taken. Mr Bell was found dead at the foot of Salisbury Crags in August 2020 while awaiting trial on charges of historic sexual assault, domestic abuse and rape.

QC Susanne Tanner made 50 recommendations, all of which the council has accepted.

Ms Tanner concluded there was “not a universally positive, open, safe and supportive whistleblowing and organisational culture for the raising of and responding to concerns of wrongdoing within the council”.

The recommendations were accepted in full by councillors in December and now a report for Thursday’s full council meeting sets out the first stages of implementing the required changes.

The report warns the shake-up will involve extra staff and mean increased costs.

The plan includes a revised domestic abuse policy and associated training, strengthening of the council’s disciplinary code and whistleblowing policy and a review of various policies including violence at work, alcohol, drugs and substance, and bullying and harassment.

The city council will have to find £2.5m a year to pay for the changes.

The Tanner report recommended the creation of an internal Investigatory unit in place of the current system where investigations into grievances, bullying and harassment complaints, disciplinary cases and some whistleblowing cases are undertaken by a pool of 45 staff members who act as an investigatory officers. The council plans to appoint an eight-strong team, but may have to draw on external experts for trauma support or mediation, which the report warns could cost up to £1000 per day.

All staff and elected members will be required to undertake annual training on domestic abuse and coercive control.

There will also be more training on whistleblowing for managers and elected members and training on member-officer protocol and councillor conduct.

Additional staffing costs are estimated at £1.75m in 2022/23, £2m in 2023/24 and £1.8m annually thereafter.

The total cost of implementing the recommendations is expected to be £2.5m a year from 2023/24 onwards.

The report warns: “The council may be required to make savings elsewhere to make funding available in future years."

Council leader Adam McVey thanked everyone who had come forward to speak to Ms Tanner’s team.

"I know this has been a really difficult process for those affected but it is thanks to their testimonies that we are now in a position to implement these changes and deliver positive change.

“The culture of the council has to be as positive, open, safe and supportive as it can be so that colleagues can feel confident in raising issues and that they will be properly investigated and responded to.”

Depute leader Cammy Day said: “This implementation plan outlines the challenges that lie ahead, both in terms of the financial commitment and level of resources required, but it’s vital that we grasp this opportunity and continue working together to make further positive changes to our organisation.”

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