Council bosses in Edinburgh have decided not to release a report into the property repairs scandal because it is "not in the public interest".

The £1.5m document, paid for from the public purse, has been kept under wraps since it was completed in March.

Now council officials at the capital have refused to make the report's contents public after a Freedom of Information request from the Scotsman newspaper.

City of Edinburgh Council's FOI response said: "It is not in the public interest to release this information at this time as it relates to ongoing internal disciplinary investigations. The release of this information could prejudice the disciplinary process and any subsequent claims which may arise."

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Despite numerous requests by residents, only a core number of bosses, including party leaders, have been privy to the comprehensive report, which insiders label "damning".

Deputy council leader Steve Cardownie called on parts of the report to be released.

He said: "As much information as possible should be made available. We need to make sure this mismanagement is not occurring now, and the public need to know what the extent of this problem was. "

Fifteen people, including four former employees and some former council contractors, face charges of fraud after more than 800 people complained about being overcharged for unnecessary and substandard work by the property conservation department.

Seven people were dismissed and about 12 were suspended over the scandal.

(NE)