We need to get rid of our chairman
Calls for community council to have a ‘complete reset’
The vice-chairman of Ferguslie Community Council has packed in his duties and warned that the group needs a “complete reset”.
Andrew Doyle admitted it was with a heavy heart that he was resigning from his position but claimed politics had forced his hand.
After praising the positive work the group has done in Ferguslie Park, Mr Doyle called on chairman John McIntyre to step down.
He also claimed he had been advised against speaking with certain elected members of Renfrewshire Council.
Mr Doyle said: “I love the work we are doing. I’m really liking what’s happening at the community council but we need a complete reset.
“We need to get rid of our chairperson and bring a new one in.
“He just wants to control everything. He likes to be in the limelight, basically.
“As soon as you start bringing politics into your local community council, you can’t get anything done.
“When John tells me I can’t speak to certain councillors, I’m not having that.
“If that happened in the workplace, I would be fired and put down as a bully.
“If you can’t do it in the workplace, you can’t do it in a community council.”
Mr McIntyre refuted the claims from his former vice-chair, however, before expressing his regret at the decision.
He said: “I thank Andy for his short time at the community council and his input, and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
“Although I don’t understand why he has resigned from a successful community organisation like Ferguslie Community Council.
“The community council has always followed its constitution by being nonpolitical and non-sectarian.
“This was reiterated at our meeting last week when I directed the committee on this very issue as a discussion was wandering into the realms of politics.
“The meeting was called to order as no politics will be discussed.
“As for the claim he has been told he can only speak to certain councillors, he has never been advised of this by Ferguslie Community Council.
“The community council has an excellent rapport with all political parties that make up Renfrewshire Council and this will continue to be the case.”
Mr Doyle’s decision to quit follows a similar decision made by Christine Reilly in July, when she accused fellow activists of being “hostile” towards other organisations.
However, she had applauded the group’s efforts in cleaning up the environment following its success with Glencoats Park.
Our chairperson just wants to control everything Andrew Doyle