Leader under fire over failing to meet MSPs
Under-fire South Lanarkshire Council leader John Ross has been hit with more flak this week for failing to meet with MSPs.
The SNP administration’s leader was criticised by rival politicians last week over controversial tweets calling for “civil defiance” to support independence.
Margaret Mitchell, Tory MSP for Central Scotland, has now stuck the boot in.
She claims that he is dodging meeting with parliamentarians as expected, and says his competence as council leader must be “seriously questioned”.
Councillor Ross hit back, arguing that MSP Mitchell is “making a mountain out of a molehill”.
Ms Mitchell said: “I have been trying for months to schedule a meeting with council leader John Ross.
“His reluctance to do so is self-evident from this totally impractical response with dates which, incidentally, Councillor Ross has not intimated to the other parliamentarians.
“Not only did he give less than a fortnight’s notice for the initial date he proposed, he did so with, I assume, full knowledge that at least one date would clash with First Minister’s Questions.
“There are nine constituency MPs and MSPs who represent areas in South Lanarkshire, not to mention the 21 regional MSPs from Central Scotland, South Scotland, and Glasgow.
“It defies credibility that the council leader should propose a meeting of 30 busy parliamentarians on such short notice.
“Quite simply, this is either a sham offer, or the competence of the Leader of South Lanarkshire Council, who is in charge of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money, must now be seriously questioned.”
Mr Ross responded: “Margaret Mitchell really is making a mountain out of a molehill with this issue.
“I am sorry that so far we have been unable to get a date in our diaries, but I for one understand why that is the case, because I am sure her diary is as busy as mine.
“However, my office has been doing its best to get something organised and we have suggested a number of dates, none of which have been acceptable to the MSP.
“We were working under the impression that Margaret Mitchell was hoping for a one-to-one meeting and the dates were offered on that basis. I remain open to such a meeting.
“However, if she now thinks there should be a gathering of all MSPs, MPs and MEPs clearly it would be an even bigger task to align diaries for such a meeting, and would take longer to arrange.
“I am more than willing to canvass opinions to see if the others would like to attend such a meeting, but until now Margaret Mitchell is the only parliamentarian to have asked me for something like this.”
He added: “I personally attend many meetings, and not just with parliamentarians but also key partners such as the trade unions and the third sector – and, most important of all, the members of the public we work on behalf of.”
●Letters on page 33