And a petition instigated by whistleblowers and their supporters also proposes an independent national whistleblowing officer to conduct such investigations in future.
The call comes in the wake of dissatisfaction among whistleblowers in Edinburgh with the investigation by top QC Susanne Tanner into the Sean Bell case and her wider review of the city council’s organisational culture. Bell, a senior social worker, was a serial sex abuser who had been protected by an “old boys’ network” within the council. He was awaiting trial on charges of historic sexual assault, domestic abuse and rape when he was found dead at the foot of Salisbury Crags in August 2020. The whistleblowers branded the Tanner reports a “whitewash” and called in vain for a public inquiry.
But the petition makes clear the issue goes beyond the Capital, highlighting concerns with the Borders, Aberdeenshire and East Lothian, as well as with the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
Alison Dickie, former SNP education vice-convener on Edinburgh council, who has worked closely with whistleblowers and is one of the petition’s sponsors, said: “We are calling for greater national scrutiny on these issues. It’s saying you need to look at all these concerns that are coming from across Scotland, people alleging cover-ups, mishandling of children’s rights and safeguarding issues and there should be a national inquiry and a national whistleblowing officer – the NHS has one – for the way forward.
"Right now there are...
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