Glasgow education chief resigns over text messages about budget

Glasgow City Council’s director of education has resigned over text messages he sent to a councillor that could have undermined the local authority’s budget process.

Dr Douglas Hutchison, who had been in the role for three years, responded to text messages from a councillor about the 2024/2025 budget in the spring of last year.

The council said the messages “may have strayed into potentially undermining the council’s budget process and may have breached rules on political restriction”.

Hutchison brought the issue to the attention of chief executive Susanne Millar after realising that they could become public.

He resigned with immediate effect on Tuesday.

“Whilst it is completely appropriate for council officers to offer advice to members from across the chamber, those messages may have strayed into potentially undermining the council’s budget process and may have breached rules on political restriction,” the council said.

The council said it understands that no further comment will be provided by Hutchison.