By David Scott
Senior public sector officials in Scotland have been urged to publish full details of their expenses as part of a new model of leadership aimed at restoring public trust.
Senior public sector officials in Scotland have been urged to publish full details of their expenses as part of a new model of leadership aimed at restoring public trust.The call was made this week by Scottish information commissioner Kevin Dunion as he published his annual report.
He said other public bodies should follow the lead of police forces in Scotland, which have signed up to a ‘model publication scheme’.
This includes detailed expenses for chief constables and assistant chief constables.
The scheme, due to go live in June, commits those who have signed up to it to ‘proactively’ publish senior officer expenses.
The information required includes the total amount spent, sums reclaimed and amounts spent using a corporate credit card.
Dunion stressed the ‘real need’ for public trust to be restored and he called for a new model of leadership, one where all public leaders expect to be held to account.
‘Public trust is greater when people can see for themselves that public officials are doing a good job,’ he said.
‘The decision by Scotland’s chief constables is a positive example of public sector leaders recognising the public interest in this kind of information. Leaders should see it as a matter of right, not offence, when they are asked for information.’
The commissioner also wants to extend the freedom of information rules to other bodies, such as housing associations, trusts and Private Finance Initiative contractors.
Dunion said: ‘I have recently recommended to the Scottish Government that they should designate housing associations, leisure trusts and contractors delivering high-value public service contracts.’
