Renfrewshire Council is facing further scrutiny over the Dargavel Primary School debacle as a watchdog monitors the response to the capacity saga.

The controller of audit intends to submit a Section 102 report on the fiasco – which has engulfed the local authority since November 2022 – to the Accounts Commission for consideration.

Chief executive Alan Russell confirmed to elected members that the council had been informed of the development by its external auditor following review of the annual audit report for 2022/23.

The local authority has spent just over a year dealing with the fallout from a high-profile blunder, which saw the existing school in Bishopton’s Arrochar Drive built far smaller than it needed to be.

The botched calculations left a bill of £45 million on the table for a second primary school – an 800-pupil campus planned for the north end of Craigton Drive. The council will also have to contribute £15m towards an extension at the associated Park Mains High School.

The “gross incompetence” behind the historic errors was exposed in an investigation by David Bowles, a former chief executive of four councils, in June this year.

He examined the Section 75 agreements between the council and landowner BAE Systems and found demand for school places was “substantially underestimated”.

It is understood the controller of audit’s report, which is expected to focus on the local authority’s response to Mr Bowles’ subsequent recommendations, will be presented to the Accounts Commission on January 11.

The paper, which will be discussed at that meeting, will later be published with findings from the commission.

Section 102 reports are prepared by the Controller of Audit for the Accounts Commission when specific concerns or issues are raised in the audit of a council. This is done under Section 102 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Councillor Eddie Devine told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It’s an absolute disgrace what has happened with the Dargavel debacle.

“I don’t care who is at fault but anyone with a basic understanding of maths could have seen this coming.

“I doubt the Accounts Commission will be impressed with what the council has done.”

Renfrewshire Council confirmed it was made aware by its external auditor of the controller of audit’s intention to submit a Section 102 report in relation to the Dargavel Primary School “issue”.

“We will continue to cooperate fully as we progress our work to manage education provision in the area,” a spokesperson said.