Renfrewshire Council has been told it “must demonstrate sustained change and improvement” in the years ahead in light of the historic failings that led to the Dargavel Primary School capacity debacle.

The local authority was scrutinised for a second time this year as a follow-up report on the saga – which saw the facility in Arrochar Drive, Bishopton, built too small – was considered by the Accounts Commission earlier this month.

Botched roll calculations left behind a bill of £45 million for a second primary school for Dargavel Village, £15m towards an extension at Park Mains High School in Erskine and a trail of anger and frustration in affected communities.

The commission has now agreed and published its latest findings on the situation which has engulfed the council since November 2022.

Deputy chair Andrew Burns said: “Whilst it’s clear action is being taken to address the cultures and behaviours that resulted in the failures of school provision, now the council must demonstrate sustained change and improvement in the longer term.

“Councillors have a critical leadership role. To help ensure they fulfil their scrutiny and decision-making responsibilities, councillors must have access to, and take up, appropriate training and development.

“This is vital to ensure historic failures of leadership and governance at the council are not repeated.”

The latest paper, which was prepared by controller of audit Helena Gray, was discussed on Thursday, August 8, after auditors were asked to look further into specific areas following the publication of an initial Section 102 report earlier this year.

This informed the commission’s findings, which have been broken into sections covering community engagement, wider impacts on service provision and issues of transparency, leadership, and culture and behaviour change.

It welcomed work on community engagement but recognised rebuilding trust “takes time”, adding: “The council must continue to demonstrate and evidence that engagement with communities is robust, inclusive, and meaningful, and that feedback received is reflected in decision-making processes.”

The commission also claimed the local authority must set out clearly the “financial implications” linked to the new primary and secondary extension in its budget work and should continue to work with partners to “mitigate any potential impact on relevant services.”

However, a council spokesperson responded: “We note the comments made by the Accounts Commission in their report.

“Their published findings – and those of the auditors – recognise and welcome our ongoing commitment to engaging the local community and that the council’s approach to its recent consultation and community engagement activity around the future of school provision in the Dargavel area has been comprehensive.

“They also note the work we have done to strengthen leadership and decision-making culture among senior officers. We will continue to build on all of this in the months and years ahead.

“The commission has also recognised auditors found no evidence the roll-projection error has had a negative impact on council services to date.

“Contrary to views expressed in the findings, the expected financial impact of expanding school provision in the area has already been set out in multiple reports to councillors since late 2022, and our external auditor has previously acknowledged the openness and transparency with which we have approached this difficult and challenging issue.

“As we have previously said, the future impacts of these additional costs are being considered through the wider financial planning continually taking place to ensure the council remains financially stable over the coming years, and have been factored into our planned borrowing to fund our long-term capital investments and improve facilities across Renfrewshire.”