Council in crisis as chief felled

No-confidence vote leaves Angus local authority without leadership

Angus Council has been cast into crisis after a no-confidence vote claimed the scalp of authority leader Bob Myles

Having survived a coup attempt from within his own coalition ranks just weeks ago, the Edzell councillor’s time in the top spot was ended in a “brutal” ruling group meeting on Tuesday.

Independent Mr Myles will now vacate the leader’s chair when the council breaks for the summer recess. The shock development has raised the spectre of a full reshuffle.

Senior council figures refused to even confirm or deny that the vote took place, claiming a review of the leadership and senior posts was always earmarked for after the first year.

Angus Council’s administration has been plunged into fresh crisis in a ruling coalition split which has cost the authority’s leader his job.

Just weeks after surviving a failed coup to oust him from the top spot, Edzell Independent councillor Bob Myles was felled by a motion of no confidence at a “stormy” administration group meeting in Forfar on Tuesday, with suggestions Mr Myles will be a “puppet leader” until the summer recess.

Council SNP opposition leader Lynne Devine branded the unexpected development as “yet another example of a chaotic and disorganised council administration.”

Mr Myles has denied that he was dumped by a vote of no confidence but confirmed he will leave the leader’s chair this summer.

Administration councillors closed ranks in the wake of the latest turn of events. Although this week’s meeting has been described as “brutal” by one senior source.

In January Mr Myles said he was ‘not watching his back’, describing a failed coup at that time as a ‘fanciful description of people having open-minded free

“It has proved very difficult juggling the full-time role of farming with the full-time role of being leader of the council.

BOB MYLES

thinking on anything and everything’. Since returning to power last May, the rainbow coalition administration has endured a number of crises, including the high-profile resignation of two of its members – veteran Independent Arbroath West and Letham councillor David Fairweather and Carnoustie Independent councillor David Cheape.

Mr Fairweather subsequently returned to the ruling body having previously criticised what he branded the “bungled” handling of a review of skip site provision which continues to be mired in controversy and complaints by residents across the district.

Mr Myles refused to confirm or deny a motion of no confidence had taken place, but admitted the leader’s role had brought “uncomfortable” decisions.

He has, however, not ruled out stepping away from the controlling group when he relinquishes the leader’s chair.

“When the new administration was formed, I agreed to lead the group, but it was always the position that we would look at how we were doing after about a year, and make a reassessment of the skills and talents within the group,” he said. “I will be standing down as leader, but the appropriate time to do that is during the recess.”

It is thought the step-down will take place following the last full Angus Council meeting on June 14 before the authority breaks for the summer recess.

Mr Myles added: “It has proved very difficult juggling the full-time role of farming with the full-time role of being leader of the council. I remain committed to doing my best for my constituents, although I am unsure at the moment whether I will remain in the administration after the summer.”

Picture: Paul Reid. Bob Myles will vacate the leader’s chair at the summer recess.

Picture: Paul Reid Bob Myles says he remains committed to doing his best for his constituents.