Rowover sparseagenda atcouncil committee

The leader of the SNP in Perth and Kinross Council has said officers are being left to run the show at the council.

Perth City North councillor Dave Doogan accused the Tory-Lib Dem administration of“incompetence”and “inaction.”

The SNP leader hit out following an environment and infrastructure meeting which he said had the smallest agenda he had ever seen for such an important meeting.

Cllr Doogan voiced his disgust right from the outset of Wednesday’s meeting by challenging committee convener, Cllr Angus Forbes.

He said: “At the last committee we saw what we thought was the lowest possible level of business on the agenda at a mere 11 items but incredibly, for such an important committee, today we were reduced to eight items of business.”

He was then told by convener Angus Forbes that he would only discuss it after the meeting.

After the committee, Councillor Doogan said:“The convener refused to address this lack of business at the committee which did not surprise me.

“This committee was formed by the merger of the previous environment committee and enterprise and infrastructure committee, which between them could have had as many as 30 agenda items.

“Under this convener, we are reduced to simply noting reports in what is little more than the most basic housekeeping agenda of a failed administration which has completely lost its way.

“This is further evidence of the wholesale lack of direction and strategy from a Tory Lib-Dem administration which started off badly and went rapidly downhill from there.

“It is communities and businesses who are suffering from this incompetence and inaction.

“I am grateful to council officers for their continued efforts to keep the council functioning in the midst of this leadership vacuum.”

Committee convener Cllr Angus Forbes hit back at Doogan, saying:“The agenda for this committee meeting has been out for some time and Councillor Doogan could have raised this with me at any point.

“I should remind Cllr Doogan that the very last equivalent committee under the Nationalist administration was cancelled because there was literally no business to discuss so I won’t take any lectures from him about there not being enough work for him now.

“Cllr Doogan is factually incorrect in his understanding of the merger of these two committees. Enterprise is now within the strategic policy and resources committee and he really should know that.

“While Cllr Doogan wants to snipe from the sidelines, this administration will get on and deliver for the people in Perth and Kinross, spending the substantial sums of money in areas like road maintenance, road safety, economic development and education with £50 million being allocated to a new high school alone.”