Calls have been made for a former Glasgow City Council chief executive to be stripped of her OBE after a damning report into £1m of secret exit deals.
Annemarie O’Donnell was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022 for her services to local government before her part in pay-offs to colleagues at the local authority came to light.
In a damning verdict released this week, The Accounts Commission for Scotland said some senior staff appeared to have ‘directly benefitted’ from ‘golden goodbyes’ they themselves rubber stamped. They said the practices were ‘deeply disturbing’ and ‘fell short’ of the standards expected.
Now a councillor who questioned the deals says Ms O’Donnell should ‘do the right thing’ and hand back her award.
Paul Carey BEM, who previously submitted a freedom of information request asking for details of the pay-offs, believes that the former local authority chief should have her OBE removed if she doesn’t forego it on a voluntary basis.
The Labour member said: “The findings of the Accounts Commission, in my eyes, mean there is no question that Annemarie O’Donnell should either hand back her OBE or have it taken away from her.
“She was given it for her service to the city through her work at the council, and that has been completely diminished and tarred by this new report.
“For anyone to exploit a position of power for their own means is morally wrong and should certainly not be rewarded with something as coveted as an OBE. These honours are given to people who have dedicated their lives to their communities and to helping others, not to people who have used senior positions for their gain or to line their colleagues’ pockets.”
After the deals came to light, legal experts were engaged by the council to probe the practices, and they found the retirement deal for Ms O’Donnell was not “lawfully approved” in line with council rules.
As well as recognising her three decades of service in the city, rising to the lead officer role in 2014, the honour given to Ms O’Donnell was said to reflect the city’s role in hosting COP26.
She served the city's legal team since joining as a solicitor in 1991 and became chief solicitor on the formation of the city council in 1996. She was then promoted to further managerial posts before becoming chief executive in December 2014.
Ms O’Donnell, who earned £207,492 and £357,845 in pension contributions between 2023 and 2024, later voluntarily repaid £317,000.
Councillor Carey added: “Paying back this sum was the only thing she could rightfully do, but it doesn’t take away from what went on at the SNP-run council.
“I am challenging her today to do the right thing and give up her OBE, or for the people who govern them to formally look at whether it should be taken away in the light of the shameful findings of this report.”
The Scottish Conservatives said the affair reeked of a ‘cover-up’.
Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy said: "The Glasgow’s SNP-run council rode roughshod over the rules and, as a result, departing officials received eye-watering payouts with little to no oversight. It shows a worrying lack of accountability or concern for taxpayers’ money."
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council added: “We welcome this report, which reflects the findings of the independent investigation commissioned by the council. The commission’s findings will support the action the council is already taking to improve oversight and transparency and to rebuild trust; both within the organisation and with the public.”
Ms O'Donnell has been approached for comment.
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