Scottish education body turns around finances
Gross financial mismanagement within the Scottish Borders education service has been turned around by the 'most rigorous and effective monitoring system in Scotland', according to council leaders.
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Four years ago the education department’s 2000/1 budget of £62m was heavily in the red allowing a £4m overspend to go undetected. This resulted in damning reports from both the Scottish Parliament and Audit Scotland.
The sole responsibility for the budget was found to lie with an assistant director of education who did not have the necessary qualifications.
However, the organisation’s dark days are now behind them following the publication of its accounts for 2003/2004 and the formation of a new coalition of Independent and Conservative councillors who took control of the Borders local government last year promising to make financial management their number one priority.
John Campbell, director of corporate resources at the Scottish Borders said: ‘I am satisfied that the weakness in the financial management in the council’s education service, identified by the controller of audit Ronnie Hinds in the period 2000 to 2002, has now been resolved and that financial management in the service is now adequate and effective.’