Four former workers at Edinburgh Council have joined 11 contractors to be charged with fraud and corruption.

The male former employees, aged 42, 45, 59 and 62, have been charged following an investigation into repairs carried out at council buildings.

Contractors have also been charged with money laundering offences.

Lothian and Borders Police said the charges were not connected to their investigation into the council's statutory notice repairs scheme, but that they came to light as part of their investigations.

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Mark Turley of Edinburgh City Council said seven workers have been sacked over the alleged fraud.

He said: "The council's investigation has identified major concerns in both property care and property conservation. As a result, seven staff have been dismissed so far with a number of cases still under consideration. This shows that since this service became my responsibility in March 2011 these concerns have been taken very seriously. We are working hard to deal with the significant numbers of customer complaints and to ensure that in future services are accountable to customers and that the necessary checks and balances are built-in. I would thank people for their patience and re-assure them that we will deal with their complaints thoroughly and as quickly as we possibly can."

(NE)