A WATCHDOG has said the public body for promoting Gaelic must address a series of concerns ranging from a lack of openness to poor relationships and organisational culture.
Inverness-based Bord na Gaidhlig (Gaelic Board) employs around 19 staff and in the last financial year had a net expenditure of £5.3 million.
However, a report from the Auditor General for Scotland, Caroline Gardner, highlighted a range of issues over the last year, including ineffective leadership, inadequate workforce planning, poor relationships and organisational culture and a lack of transparency in decision-making.
“Gaelic is an important part of Scotland’s culture,” said Gardner. “But all public bodies, irrespective of their size, must demonstrate clear and effective governance and make key decisions in an open and transparent way.
“The Bord’s leadership team and board must deliver significant improvements in the issues raised to establish the trust and confidence of staff and stakeholders, including the Parliament and the public.”
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Bord na Gaidhlig said the report was the most extensive it had undergone to date, and it recognised the need to develop new ways of working.
It said a programme of change was already under way, with more than half of the watchdog’s recommendations having been implemented within four months of receiving the report. Mairi MacInnes, Bord na Gaidhlig’s interim chair, said: “Periods of change are difficult for any organisation, so Bord na Gaidhlig is not unique … For the organisation to grow and accomplish the commitments in our Corporate Plan 2018-23, we must continue to review all of our work and make changes where necessary.
“We remain committed to completing our programme of change, to help Gaelic flourish in Scotland and for Gaelic communities to continue to grow and thrive.
“All those involved in Bord na Gaidhlig recognise the need for and are thoroughly committed to finding a way forward so the recommendations made in the report are implemented and we are happy to explain the organisation and our decisions to the Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee if required.”
MacInnes added: “We all want Bord na Gaidhlig to be a success story – taking on board this report’s findings will help us work towards that goal.”
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