The council has landed
Depute returning officer Charles Reppke accepts island ballot boxes from helicopter pilot John Fraser McKenzie as counting day begins.
WE NOW know the shape of our new Argyll and Bute Council.
Votes cast on Thursday May 4 were counted the following day - and it’s ‘as you were’ for Mid Argyll, as the three former councillors were re-elected.
There were plenty of changes elsewhere though and the power struggles have already begun.
SO WHERE does the power lie in the new Argyll and Bute Council?
Even as the votes were being tallied last Friday, hushed conversations and strategic handshakes suggested that early moves towards the formation of alliances were being made.
Without wishing to stray into Donald Rumsfeld territory - let’s start with what we (think we) know. The SNP will not, apparently, have any truck with the Tories, and we understand the feeling is mutual.
But first taxi off the rank was the SNP group, which has the greatest number of councillors - 11 - to barter with. As the new council met on Monday, the nationalists issued a press statement inviting the 10-strong group of independent councillors and the group of six LibDems to join them in a new administration. In other words, everyone but the Tories.
SNP group leader Sandy Taylor said: ‘The SNP as the largest political group on the council, is currently engaging others to form a new council administration.
‘The former administration was founded on a strongly bound Conservative/Liberal Democrat/independent coalition working to a Tory-led agenda.
‘This has obviously been strengthened by the election result. We
are now looking to the Liberal Democrat and independent councillors to partner the SNP for the good of the future of Argyll and Bute.’
The nationalists’ appeal to the independents was addressed to ‘group leader’ Roddy McCuish, but he told the Advertiser: ‘I am not the leader of any group, and if the independents do decide form a group I will join it. I am sure the appropriate group leaders will let you know in due course when there is something to say.’
Also on Monday, however, there was a meeting between Tories, LibDems and independent councillors from the former administration alliance with a view to resurrecting the old coalition. More than one seasoned council insider told the
Advertiser that a recreated independent/Tory/ LibDem coalition would most likely make a grab for the reins of power at Kilmory.
This scenario would leave the administration with a potential voting strength of 25 as opposed to 11 within the SNP ranks.