Summary Minutes of the Scottish Screen board on Friday 29 June, after which John Archer tendered his resignation, have been released on the Scottish Screen website. It has been revealed that from the beginning of next year, meetings of the board will be open to the public.

The meeting followed weeks of damaging publicity in the Scottish press, culminating in accusations of cronyism, referring to the way applicants with close connection to the screen agency were often successful in getting backing for their screen projects, where others were not.

In particular, there was criticism that the wife of the Scottish Screen chief executive had won support from the agency, although John Archer himself had nothing to do with the application.

Netribution readers furth of Scotland may have been surprised at the stooshie that the press here created, with accusations and acclamations flying about at the same time, but may not be aware of the introspective nature of much Scottish journalism. Scotland is oversupplied with quality newspapers which rightly scrutinise the Scotland’s national institutions fully. A whiff of scandal somewhere, even one that was seen as non-existent by many, can soon become a rotten stink.

According to the minutes of the Scottish Screen board meeting on the 29^th of June, waited for by Scotland’s press with something of the great sense of anticipation that heralds any night of the long knives, the audited accounts were approved by the board.

There is an account of the Scottish Executive’s intention to-- if not abolish Scottish Screen, as in press speculation --to at least include the agency in a wider review of support for the creative industries. So, a magnifying glass, rather than the quango hatchet punted by the papers, but still, a careful scrutiny by Scotland’s Executive. When you bring government closer to home, you get scrutiny closer to home, whether by press or parliamentarians.

After the cronyism debacle, the board acknowledged a positive PR exercise was needed to improve public perception of the agency. It also felt the need to convince Ministers that Scottish Screen is a forward thinking organisation and willing to adapt to change. The first fruits of that policy change are already apparent. The board’s meetings will now be open to the public, from the beginning of next year.

The parting of the ways with John Archer was less dramatic than the press speculation about the meeting where it took place. The CEO had been trying to get the board to agree a structural review, but this had been stalled by board members and adjourned.

The fatal minute simply reads:

"The Chief Executive presented his proposals for a structural review. The discussions were inconclusive and were adjourned till the following week. It was decided not to implement any of the recommendations."

A battered John Archer had simply had enough.

"The Chief Executive tendered his resignation. The Chairman was authorised to begin the process of identifying and recruiting a new CEO as soon as possible."

The new CEO’s first job quite possibly, will be to get the board room carpet dry cleaned.