New board will enable parties to work in ‘harmony’
Forum aims to help political factions share ideas
A new group has been formed to create harmony among the parties at Renfrewshire Council.
It is hoped the Cross Party Sounding Board will help heal decades of bitter divisions between the various groups at the local authority.
The new SNP minority administration says the forum will become an open and inclusive space for the various factions to share ideas and promote better understanding following the local elections in May.
The SNP leader of Renfrewshire Council, Councillor Iain Nicolson, is confident that the board will not descend into a slanging match.
He said: “Following the results of the local government election in May, we were elected as the largest party in the council, but as a minority, we want to work closely with all parties to get the best deal for communities in Renfrewshire.
“We want to move away from the tribal politics of the past and as such we proposed the creation of a Cross Party Sounding Board which will enable open discussion for representatives of all political parties and independents to discuss matters of common interest and cross-party issues.
“The group will work together to ensure the decision-making process of the other Council boards take into account the views of all elected councillors.”
The board will comprise six members, Iain Nicolson and Jim Paterson from the SNP, Kevin Montgomery from Labour, Tom Begg from the Conservatives, Lib Dem Eileen McCartin and independent Paul Mack. Leader of the Labour group at Renfrewshire Council, Eddie Devine says his party will contribute to the forum for the good of the community.
He said: “We will engage with the board for the good of Renfrewshire.
“We are happy to go along with it and to work together to make sure we do our best for the area.
“It may sound trite, but I think with the Paisley 2021 bid coming up, we want to work together with the other groups within the council. Renfrewshire doesn’t have a very good history for political groups working well together but now is an opportunity to change that.
“We will go in with an openness. So long as the board involves meaningful discussions and any ideas that come out of it are seen as the ideas of the board rather than any one party or individual.”
The first meeting of the new Cross Party Sounding Board will take place on August 22 at 1pm at Renfrewshire House.