Very frustrated

Sir, It was the first proper coun- cil meeting last week, with the first set of reports, motions and questions. It was a very long meeting, was very political, with lots of point scoring and many valid issues lost amongst the posturing.

The closed toilets on Arran is still an issue. Sterling work has got some open, and others may reopen in a few months time, however, the busy season has started and there are four closed toilets in the busiest parts of the island. I had submitted a motion to the council to use £12,000 from the Community Asset Fund to open the four closed toilets with immediate effect for the next four months, until the permanent solutions are sorted out. The Community Asset Fund was set up for this financial year for community projects and has about £3.1m in it – and as far as I am aware none has been allocated.

However, the week before when the ‘Keep Arran’s Toilets Open’ petition was put before the Cabinet committee, they decided to uphold the decision taken in 2016 to shut the toilets. Therefore, before my motion could be discussed, I had to get a 2/3 majority of councillors to allow the suspension of standing orders, which are there to prevent the same topic from coming to council meeting again and again). I got 18 votes in support, including the cabinet committee members, but I needed 21 votes. However, none of the SNP councillors voted to support the suspension of standing orders – which blocked the council from discussing my motion and reopening the toilets for the summer season.

I was very frustrated and angry at what looked like political point scoring to the detriment of the people and visitors of Arran. I could understand if I lost my case once the discussion had taken place, but I cannot understand why all the members of one party had taken the decision to prevent the council from even talking about reopening the toilets, especially as two of their members are councillors for Ardrossan and Arran.

I have written to Ellen McMaster asking her what were her and the SNP’s reasons for stopping the discussion taking place, and stopping the toilets from being reopened. I have not yet had a reply. Unless there were good non-political reasons for blocking the discussion, they should reflect on what they did and ask themselves if they acted in the best interests of the people of Arran, who they were elected to represent.

I recognise that there will be a range of opinions about how issues should be resolved, and what the priorities are for the council. If the toilets stayed shut after the council had discussed the issue that is one thing. For the SNP councillors to vote as a group to stop discussion from even taking place is what I am cross about.

My motion was a non-political matter that is a real issue affecting thousands of people. If political differences cannot be put aside for a neutral issue, then what hope is there for any more difficult issues. If this is how things are going to be for the next five years, the only people who are going to suffer are the people of Arran, who I am here to represent.

Yours,

Timothy Billings Conservative councillor for Ardrossan and Arran