Council chiefs were accused of trying to mislead the public after questions on its £1million-a-month PPP school deal.

Council leader Joe Cullinane was asked if he wished to apologise after NAC claimed it had been cleared in a police probe – which never happened – and what was being done to prevent other misleading statements.

The question was in reference to the contracts to construct and maintain Greenwood Academy, St Matthew’s Academy, Arran High School and Stanley Primary – which over 38-years will cost taxpayers a total of £395,272,939 as cuts continue.

Labour Cllr Cullinane hit back at last week’s Full Council meeting claiming SNP Councillor Tony Gurney had ‘crossed a line’ by accusing council officers of ‘lying’.

Cllr Gurney said: “In December 2019, the Labour administration issued a statement to local press stating that, ‘last year, Police Scotland were asked to carry out an investigation into allegations made in The Only Game In Town documentary. Following this investigation, the council was again cleared of any wrongdoing’.

“In fact, Police Scotland declined to carry out an investigation. There was no police investigation and, therefore, the council was not cleared of any wrongdoing, sadly.”

“Why was this misleading statement issued and would the Leader care to apologise for doing so?”

Cllr Cullinane said the statement was provided by officers and not the Labour administration, adding: “Will he take this opportunity to apologise for questioning the integrity of this council’s officers by tweeting that they were lying?”

Cllr Gurney said the response raised more questions than it answers, adding: “It also demonstrates a lack of control, what Audit Scotland I think would refer to scathingly as an officer-led council.

An NAC spokesperson said: “All the normal and correct procedures were followed in preparing the response. The council leader had no input into this process. We remain satisfied that the original statement is accurate.”

We previously reported how councillors were kept out the loop when a multi-million-pound private finance deal now costing taxpayers £1million every month was agreed.

This was revealed after Freedom of Information requests by filmmakers of the documentary, The Only Game in Town 2: The Cover Up, which it says ‘exposes the continuing cover-up’ around the council’s controversial PPP Project.

Documents revealed the then Council Leader cllr David O’Neill asked if elected members could see the final business case for the deal they were asked to agree.

However council official Jim Tulips was recorded in the minutes saying “the final business case was for the information of the project board only”, adding “it would only be publicly available after financial close”.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “In the 2000s, PPP deals were the only means of obtaining funding to build new schools. Analysis of our PPP deal show that it was one of the best.

“The PPP model is no longer used. The Non-Profit Distributing model, which sought to minimise profit, evolved from PPP. A further new model is currently being developed in partnership with the Scottish Futures Trust. The NPD model was used to fund the new Largs Academy. Scottish Government has recently confirmed funding under the latest model for the new Ardrossan Campus.

“The council is unapologetic about its desire to ensure that our pupils have the best possible education, in schools which are fit for the needs of the 21st century. Continuing to rake over historic positions, which have already been given a clean bill of health, is a waste of everyone’s time.”