A FORMER Scottish council official whose career was blighted by allegations of mismanagement stands accused of similar charges with an English local authority, it emerged yesterday.
Mr Peter Aiken, a 41-year-old Irishman, is the subject of complaints by a number of colleagues at Doncaster Council, where he is head of leisure services.
He served as a #42,000-a-year director of leisure and libraries with Moray District Council in Elgin until council reorganisation in April, 1996.
A spokesman for the General Municipal and Boilermakers' Union yesterday confirmed that it had submitted a formal report, listing the complaints in full to senior council officials in Doncaster in February on behalf of disgruntled workers.
Seven senior managers who work under Mr Aiken's supervision made the allegations which are believed to centre on ''serious mismanagement''.
GMBU spokesman, George Stupple, said: ''We can confirm that we have a grievance against Mr Aiken. We have spoken to the council and hope a decision is in the pipeline. We cannot make further comment.''
It is understood that the GMBU met with three other unions representing workers at the council and senior council officials to discuss the alleged problems in February.
However, when contacted yesterday, Mr Aiken said: ''I know nothing about it and cannot comment further.''
Other officials at the council also refused to comment
In 1994, Mr Aiken was suspended from his post at Moray District Council for five months in similar circumstances when colleagues there spoke out against him over alleged mismanagement.
A subsequent internal investigation centred on alleged irregularities in his expenses claims and ''frequent'' absences.
A three-man disciplinary committee was chaired by then council convener Eddie Aldridge.
It found that the allegations did not warrant dismissal and Mr Aiken was reinstated to his position.
However, he was issued with a final written warning which was held in his file until council reorganisation.
Nobody was available for comment at Moray Council yesterday.
At the time of the case, Mr Aldridge said: ''The panel found Mr Aiken's management practices had not been acceptable and would be required to be reviewed.
''The chief executive has been given a remit to work with Mr Aiken to ensure that stability and effective management returns to the leisure and libraries department.''
Mr Aiken denied the allegations and said his suspension was ''unfair'', and that he did not agree with the panel's findings.
At council reorganisation, he left Moray. He was shorlisted for a post with Aberdeenshire Council, but was unsuccessful, and then took up his present position at Doncaster.
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