A COUNCIL worker is being investigated over suspected corruption in a jobs-for-cash scandal.

Dealings between the employee and now-liquidated Clarkston company, Premier Tree Surgeons, are being probed.

Lawyers for Ayrshire Tree Surgeons made a formal complaint to East Renfrewshire Council.

It is understood the worker is being investigated over claims he took financial incentives in exchange for awarding jobs to Premier Tree Surgeons.

Premier Tree Surgeons said the firm has not been involved in giving financial incentive to anyone to secure work.

It is also believed that Ayrshire Tree Surgeons have now demanded the council stump up £160,000 for work they allegedly missed out on.

A source close to the investigation said: “Last year the council put its tree surgery work out to tender and Ayrshire Tree Surgeons got the job.

“They found that they were not getting a great deal of work but Premier Tree Surgeons were.

“A council worker has now gone off sick.

“Meanwhile, the council has been served with a complaint and a £160,000 bill from Ayrshire Tree Surgeons.”

A spokesman for East Renfrewshire Council has confirmed that an investigation into the matter is “currently ongoing.”

He added: “We have been contacted by a company in relation to this and will respond appropriately in due course.”

Ayrshire Tree Surgeons were awarded the highest rank during the tendering process for arboriculture work in East Renfrewshire last year.

That rank means they are the priority contractor when the council needs hedges and trees planted, removed or pruned.

If they are unable to fulfil orders within a specified period, the order is then raised with the next contractor, which was Premier Tree Surgeons.

The investigation is expected to be concluded next month.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed it has been notified about the investigation but would not comment as it is an internal matter for the local authority.

No-one at Ayrshire Tree Surgeons was available for comment.

However, a spokesman for Premier Tree Surgeons described the investigation as “absolute nonsense.”

He said: “We were never involved in anything like that.”