Claims council failing to prepare for Brexit

Perth and Kinross chiefs under fire from SNP who are calling for impact assessment

A lack of efforts to properly plan for Brexit’s impact on Perth and Kinross has been branded “shocking” ahead of a motion compelling the council to complete urgent scenario planning.

With less than six months to go until March 29, when the UK is due to leave the EU, SNP councillor Mike Williamson will today move a motion calling for a full impact assessment to be completed as soon as possible and presented to the next full council meeting.

He said Perth and Kinross was trailing other local authorities, such as Dundee City and Edinburgh, which have been developing a Brexit strategy with local economic partners.

The claims were rejected last night by Karen Reid, chief executive of Perth and Kinross Council, who said she did not recognise the scenario being described.

Council documents recently released under FoI legislation revealed a 13% drop in EU migration to Perthshire and deep concerns about the effect of changes to agricultural subsidy on the wider Perth economy.

The most recent of these papers was published in September 2017.

Perthshire North MSP, and deputy first minister, John Swinney accused the council’s Conservative-led minority administration of a “dereliction of duty” in failing to produce measures that would “mitigate the damage” Brexit could cause.

Mr Williamson said: “I have brought this motion forward because I think most people in Perth and Kinross would reasonably assume that their council is scenario planning for the effects of Brexit, whatever these are and regardless of individual views on withdrawal from the EU, but this is not happening in Perth and Kinross which I think is shocking.

“The council is running out of time to get organised for what could be the biggest challenge many of us will face in local government, as either councillors or officers, so I believe we must advance this issue with the greatest possible energy and urgency.”

Mr Swinney said: “The lack of preparedness on the part of the Tory council is a dereliction of duty.

“With the harmful ramifications of Brexit becoming clearer with each passing day, the Tories choose to bury their head in the sand rather than trying to mitigate the damage they have caused.”

Karen Reid, chief executive of Perth and Kinross Council, said: “On a day to day basis, within Perth and Kinross Council and with partners including CoSLA, the Scottish Cities Alliance and our Tayside colleagues, we are constantly considering the implications of Brexit across our local community to ensure that steps are taken to minimise any negative impact on the citizens of Perth and Kinross.”

The council is running out of time to get organised for what could be the biggest challenge many of us will face in local government, as either councillors or officers ... COUNCILLOR MIKE WILLIAMSON