Oil watchdog faces 'conflict of interests' row over directors’ Shell and BP shares
Board members at the North Sea oil regulator hold Shell and BP shares. Critics say the investments raise questions about the body's independence.
Latest news (Page 86)
Glasgow’s foster carers accuse council officials of breaking budget promises
A trade union representing foster carers in Glasgow will this week submit a collective complaint to the city council, accusing
Ministers urged to reject new Peterhead gas plant
A proposed gas plant at Peterhead is on “rotten foundations” and could “seriously jeopardise” Scotland’s climate targets, the Scottish
Critics call for reform of Scotland’s local authorities
Decentralisation of power from Holyrood, full devolution of local taxes and directly elected mayors are among the proposals made by
More than £1bn awarded to private firms by councils
Scottish councils have awarded contracts worth more than £1bn to private companies since 2015, The Ferret can reveal. The firms
Councillors not guaranteed maternity leave despite Scottish Government promises
Councillors are working without basic legal protections such as the right to paid maternity and family leave – even though the
Women councillors faced sexual harassment, abuse and racism
Women who served as councillors across Scotland have faced threats of violence, racist abuse, and sexual harassment during their time
Glasgow spent ten million on agency cleansing workers
Glasgow City Council has spent almost £10m on agency workers to empty bins and deal with recycling in the last
Future ‘bleak’ as council data reveals neighbourhood cutbacks
New figures have laid bare staffing reductions in neighbourhood services in the last five years leading to cuts in parks,
Scottish councils pay ‘eye-watering’ sums of interest to UK treasury
Interest payments on historic loans taken out from the UK treasury have cost Scotland’s councils over £400m in the
Councils pay millions to media and marketing firms
Scotland’s councils have been accused of spending funds that could have been used for staff pay and public services
Council contracts with debt collectors worth up to £20m
Local authorities have been accused of issuing “escalating threats” to people behind on their council tax, after The Ferret found
Half of Scots councils are ‘mismanaging’ community funds
Half of Scotland’s councils have been accused of mismanaging common good funds created to benefit local communities after their