Exclusive:Edinburgh council facing questions over Cammy Day misconduct complaints after 2018 email 'disappeared'

The claims come as a report revealed the council's investigation into the handling of allegations of misconduct by Mr Day will also look at a "potential complaint" in 2006 - two years prior to the Labour politician’s election as a local councillor.

Mr Day resigned last month after Ukrainian refugees alleged that he had sent them sexually explicit messages.

Police Scotland is understood to be investigating multiple complaints in relation to Mr Day after a report was made in October last year. The council also received a complaint in December 2023, two further whistleblowing disclosures and an anonymous complaint in May 2018.

Former manager Lynn Westwood responded to the 2018 complaint from an Edinburgh resident who claimed that a Labour councillor contacted them online in 2010 and invited them to his home for sex.

Miss Westwood, who was business manager to the leader, said she exchanged several emails urging the complainer to contact Police Scotland and seek support.

But months later, IT told her the email conversation could not be found, said Miss Westwood, who left the council in February 2024 after 30 years.

She said: “I received an anonymous allegation that said a Labour councillor contacted them online. They seemed vulnerable. I urged them to contact police and seek help. I believed it.”

“I escalated it. But months later when I went to find it, there was no trace of the emails. I contacted IT. They told me there was no record of it in the system. The whole trail of emails had disappeared. I felt helpless. I wanted to do something more, but the evidence was gone.”

The councillor was not named in the email conversation. However, Miss Westwood said she believed it was Mr Day, after the resident disclosed the councillor had been a community worker in the north of the city.

Miss Westwood added: “I am pleased that this allegation has now come out in the open. It sat heavily with me all those years.”

The email, seen by The Scotsman, was addressed to Cllr McVey, who led the administration from between 2017 and 2022.

Cllr McVey told The Scotsman: “In 2018, my office received an anonymous report regarding the conduct of an unnamed Labour councillor. Due to the nature of the complaint, my office advised the complainant to contact the police and suggested they seek support from the appropriate services.

"I also raised the complaint with police in 2018 and was advised they couldn’t take further action without the complainant reporting the allegation."

The Edinburgh resident, who sent the complaint, said it was Mr Day who contacted them on MSN messenger 15 years ago.

They claim after exchanging messages, Mr Day sent directions for how to find his flat.

“I didn’t go and didn’t tell anyone," the resident told The Scotsman. "I only pursued it years later because of where he ended up in the council.

“He was flirty at first when I got in touch years later via social media. But when I told him he had invited me round for sex, he blocked me.”

A former SNP councillor later reported the complaint to the police in 2019 after Miss Westwood raised the alarm. Both Cllr McVey and the councillor were then interviewed by senior officers in 2019.

Since allegations about Mr Day came to light in December, councillors unanimously backed an independent review of how any complaints to the authority were dealt with.

An independent investigator is set to be appointed at a meeting next week. A report issued ahead of the meeting states a probe into the authority’s handling of complaints will also examine a complaint made in 2006.

SNP group leader Simita Kumar said: “The behaviour of Cammy Day was known to some elected members, past and present CEOs and the legal team. It’s extremely concerning. Right now, we have more questions than answers. But the most important, how was he allowed to remain a councillor and then lead the administration?"

A council spokesperson said: “The council has agreed to conduct an independent review into its handling of the concerns raised. A report recommending how this should be carried out, and by whom, will be considered on February 6.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We have received a report relating to inappropriate behaviour and enquiries are ongoing. Any information received is being assessed.”

Mr Day has not responded to requests for comment.