Aberdeen’s “absentee” council chiefs made a return to HQ after being condemned over their attendance record – or at least most of them did.
Chief executive Angela Scott and city planning chief David Dunne have upped Marischal College attendance after The Press and Journal revealed the extent of their working from home at the start of this year.
However, both are still falling short of the average attendance set by their colleagues as one of Aberdeen’s most iconic buildings lies “half-empty”.
Meanwhile, highly-ranked councillors have told The P&J they “don’t really know” one of the city’s £100,000-a-year chief officers.
A baffled Town House insider even failed to put a name to his face when confronted with his photograph.
City centre businesses ‘need council chiefs to be present’
It comes after business bosses in January urged council chiefs to be “visible, active and present” as they map out Aberdeen’s recovery from Covid, the energy transition and the troubles facing the high street.
They wanted high-ups to lead by example in bringing council staff back to Marischal College, which would have been a bumper boost for surrounding businesses struggling with the new-look city centre, changed retail habits and fewer office workers.
Following the outrage at the start of the year, councillors have even begun looking to rent out empty space in the authority’s A-listed granite headquarters, refurbished as offices in 2011 for £65 million.
Job Dunne: Planning chief’s return to Aberdeen City Council HQ
Our piece spelling out how frequently, or infrequently, the bosses attended Aberdeen City Council headquarters was published on January 8.
It showed Mr Dunne, overseeing the vast and financially troubled city centre regeneration and unpopular roads overhauls, only visited his city centre office on 42% of his working week.
But after the festive period, Mr Dunne’s Marischal College attendance greatly increased.
In February, he swiped in on 17 days, according to our latest Freedom of Information (FOI) probe.
The strategic place planning chief officer spent fewer than half his workdays at the local authority’s Broad Street offices between last April and this March.
However, between April and June this year, his attendance had risen nearly a quarter to 72%.
That’s still some way short of the average 88% set by his colleagues though.
Showing our working…
Our percentages are based on everyone working a five-day week, and being entitled to bank holidays and three days off every month.
These assumptions are not perfect as they put everyone on level pegging.
However, depending on the length of service Aberdeen City Council gives chief officers between 33 and 36 days off a year.
That explains some Aberdeen City Council bosses appearing to go to work more than 100% of their workdays.
Great Scott! The chief executive journeying back to Aberdeen more often
Dundee-based council chief executive Angela Scott – previously described as “anonymous” by Town House sources – has also travelled to the office more since our January article.
Living 65 miles away, the city’s top official spent nearly 500 days away from her desk during the Covid pandemic.
Before the world-changing outbreak, Mrs Scott had been at Marischal College on 76% of her workdays.
In the three months since April we have data for, her attendance finally returned to that pre-pandemic level.
During 2023-24, the chief executive took the near three-hour round-trip to her Marischal College desk 132 times, around 62% of her working week.
‘Is it bad I don’t know?’
The chief executive and planning boss were not the only senior officials to dodge their desks at council HQ.
Chief officer for digital and technology Steve Roud has consistently been well below the average Marischal College attendance, since he first appeared on the FOI radar in 2021.
Across April 2023 to March 2024, he was at council HQ the least, on only 42% of the working week.
While others appear to have been spurred into going in to work more since our January article, Mr Roud has stayed firm on his two and a bit days a week in the office.
Confronted with the photograph above – taken as The Press and Journal was granted rare access to top officials in council chambers on budget day – a senior councillor was still unable to confirm it was the technology chief.
“Is it bad I don’t know?” they shrugged, before another senior colleague did manage to ID him for us.
Claims P&J gave shared procurement chief ‘a hard time’
Within the three months from April, city regeneration and environment executive director Gale Beattie, operations chief Mark Reilly, children’s social work and family support chief Graeme Simpson all recorded below-average Marischal College attendance too.
However, they still went more than their chief executive, Mrs Scott.
Meanwhile, people and citizens services chief Isla Newcombe, who has recently returned from long-term leave, and Craig Innes, the commercial and procurement chief, went less than their Dundee-based boss.
But, another highly-ranked councillor leaped to Mr Innes’ defence after the “hard time” he was given over his presence at Marischal College earlier in the year.
That’s because his job role is shared with Aberdeenshire and Highland councils, and our source thought he might be at their offices when not at city HQ.
Having identified Steve Roud in our photo for us, that same councillor said they “didn’t really know him” and then chuckled, adding: “I guess that’s sort of your point.”
“He’s a nice guy though.”
Chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Russell Borthwick, is a big believer in office working.
He told us the upward trend was a welcome sign that “public sector employers are reflecting on the growing evidence that productivity and performance is much improved when teams physically work together”.
He added: “Not only is office working good for productivity, it also delivers a footfall boost to our city centre businesses.”
Aberdeen City Council said…
Aberdeen City Council acknowledged our request for comment on Wednesday and again on Friday.
The Press and Journal asked to speak to Ms Scott and Mr Dunne about what had spurred them back to the office and playing their part in the city centre’s recovery.
We asked for an official statement in the absence of those interviews.
No response was received by our deadline.
In January, a spokeswoman told us: “There are no set number of days for senior officials to be required to work from home or in Marischal College.
“Arrangements are managed with a focus on the needs of the role, the specific services and our communities.
“Flexible working has always been available to all council staff, where appropriate.”
She confirmed work-from-home guidance was being updated to “allow staff to work in the most suitable location and at the appropriate times to meet the needs of citizens at all times”.
A March job advertisement for the £99,000-a-year chief city development and regeneration officer role promised Aberdeen City Council is “happy to talk flexible working and offer flexible working for most roles in the organisation”.
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