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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Council 'needs major assistance' | Council 'needs major assistance' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Aberdeen City Council "lacks a full appreciation of the seriousness of its current circumstances", according to the Accounts Commission for Scotland. | Aberdeen City Council "lacks a full appreciation of the seriousness of its current circumstances", according to the Accounts Commission for Scotland. |
| The commission said the council was facing extremely serious challenges and needed support to help make changes. | The commission said the council was facing extremely serious challenges and needed support to help make changes. |
| It is also recommending the appointment of an independent financial expert to oversee savings. | It is also recommending the appointment of an independent financial expert to oversee savings. |
| The Accounts Commission public hearing which led to the findings, followed concerns about best value and planning. | |
| The council is currently pursuing a programme of cutbacks, which has led to weeks of public protests. It is time to put aside petty party political differences and work together for the good of the people of the City of Aberdeen Brian AdamAberdeen North SNP MSP | |
| The commission said it was particularly concerned by the the financial position, the organisational structure and the lack of effective leadership and direction in education and social work, and people management - with what appeared to be a fundamental morale problem among many employees. | |
| John Baillie, commission chairman, said: "Aberdeen City Council has extremely serious problems with its management, governance and finances as well as the effective delivery of major services such as social work. | John Baillie, commission chairman, said: "Aberdeen City Council has extremely serious problems with its management, governance and finances as well as the effective delivery of major services such as social work. |
| "It is essential that the council accepts the seriousness of its circumstances, pulls together and acts quickly and decisively to implement our recommendations." | "It is essential that the council accepts the seriousness of its circumstances, pulls together and acts quickly and decisively to implement our recommendations." |
| 'Petty differences' | |
| Aberdeen North SNP MSP Brian Adam said: "I welcome the fact that we are at the end of the investigation stage of this process and that there are quite clear actions laid out to remedy historical mistakes which led to the council's current financial predicament. | Aberdeen North SNP MSP Brian Adam said: "I welcome the fact that we are at the end of the investigation stage of this process and that there are quite clear actions laid out to remedy historical mistakes which led to the council's current financial predicament. |
| "It is quite clear that all of the elected members and the staff of Aberdeen City Council need to work together to bring forward an implementation plan to bring the council back from its precarious financial situation. | "It is quite clear that all of the elected members and the staff of Aberdeen City Council need to work together to bring forward an implementation plan to bring the council back from its precarious financial situation. |
| "It is time to put aside petty party political differences and work together for the good of the people of the City of Aberdeen, and part of that has to be a recognition and acceptance of the council's precarious financial position and of the budget which is currently being implemented." | |
| Aberdeen Central Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald said: "The council should set aside the budget cuts and school closures it has agreed in recent months until some order is restored from the chaos." |