Fails to attend licensing

Rival parties hit out at‘disregard’for meetings

STEPHEN BARK

South Lanarkshire’s Conservative group are under fire after none of their councillors turned up for a licensing committee meeting.

Not one of the nine Tories who can sit on the committee attended the meeting on Tuesday, December 3.

Political opponents have claimed the Conservatives were “failing” constituents and that they weren’t taking “constituents’ interests seriously” after it emerged just five weeks previous, the group didn’t attend the licensing meeting on October 29 either.

Councillor David Shearer, chairman of the committee, said they had “other business” to deal with and couldn’t attend.

Leader of the Labour group, Councillor Joe Fagan, had some sympathy and understanding for the councillors, but thought it excessive that none could attend.

The East Kilbride councillor said: “It is understandable that from time to time councillors will be unable to attend a committee meeting but this does seem excessive and the council does have a system of substituting for just these eventualities.”

It is understood that some councillors or a family member of theirs were sick on the day of the meeting and none of the substitute members were able to take their place at short notice.

A spokesman for the Conservative group confirmed they expected to be one or two members short but had expected someone would represent them.

The group is looking address this going forward.

Conservative group leader Councillor Alex Allison said: “It was an unfortunate amalgamation of events that caused us to be unrepresented.

“We had a number of councillors who were off at that time due to health issues (mostly colds and flu) and the substitutes that we had listed, such as myself, were already committed elsewhere at the time of the meeting.

“It is important that we do attend meetings to represent our constituents and it was disappointing that events conspired to prevent that happening on this occasion.”

Of the 13 Conservative councillors in South Lanarkshire, five are full members of the committee, with a further four substitute members.

Councillor Poppy Corbett could not attend the meeting for personal reasons while substitute members Councillor Jared Wark (Rutherglen Central and North) and group leader Councillor Alex Allison (Clydesdale East) were unable to attend at short notice.

Councillors Martin Grant Hose, Richard Lockhart, Kenny McCreary and Richard Nelson are the other full members while Councillors Ann Le Blond and Lynne Nailon are also substitutes. All councillors were contacted for comment.

A substitute member can attend a committee if a full member is unable to attend for any reason.

Councillor Mark McGeever, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group, couldn’t understand why no Conservative members had turned up.

He said: “I’m reluctant to criticise individuals without knowing if there were family or health issues that meant they couldn’t attend.

“That said, people are understandably curious why all five of their group’s committee members and two substitutes were absent from both licensing meetings.

“This committee deals with important cases. They often have serious consequences for the lives of applicants for taxi and other licenses, as well as issues around public safety.

“It is non-political and the members consider all cases on the evidence, so it’s important councillors of all parties take part.

“This helps ensure the public can have confidence in our decisions.

“We certainly take the responsibility very seriously and I hope all others do too.”

An SNP spokeswoman added: “Like in government, the Tories don’t take representing their constituents interests seriously at South Lanarkshire Council.

“They have a duty to turn up and unsurprisingly are failing.

“If you want hard-working representatives, the only way to secure that is to vote SNP.”