Two suspended councillors are given bigger say

Two suspended councillors have been given a stronger voice on local issues, after a bid to kick them out of an influential health authority backfired.

Perth and Kinross Council’s Conservativeled administration tried to eject Colin Stewart and Callum Purves from the Perth and Kinross Integration Joint Board (IJB), following complaints that arose from a shambolic meeting in July.

But leader Murray Lyle’s motion was defeated by an amendment from opposition groups, that will not only allow the pair to remain on the IJB but will also see Mr Stewart promoted to chairman.

Administration councillors will also be removed from other groups.

Mr Lyle said his administration’s minority status posed a challenge.

Suspended councillor Callum Purves said he and Mr Stewart had been “thrown under a bus” by council leader Murray Lyle.

The pair were blocked from speaking about the circumstances surrounding their suspension at yesterday’s meeting.

They were called to order at any mention of the IJB meeting, which was controversially cancelled prompting public outrage and leading to their suspension.

Mr Purves said: “Just take a moment to reflect on the irony, the hypocrisy even, of this situation.

“Here we are at a public meeting, hastily arranged.

“Everyone is able to turn up and watch the spectacle of the administration attempting to remove Councillor Stewart and me from the IJB.

“But the meeting to discuss the real issues, the crisis in mental health services in Tayside, could not be held and still has not been held.

“You would have hoped that when faced with such a situation, you would receive the support of your colleagues. You would think that the leader of the council might actually stand up for councillors who are doing what they were elected to do. But no, instead he throws us under a bus.”

Mr Stewart said: “I suspect that this whole spectacle, while being personally discomforting to Councillor Purves and myself, is actually most unedifying to members of the wider public, and I have occasion to ask myself whether there is a point in enduring this opprobrium and the outrage in the complaints against us.

“But then I read the messages of support and am heartened by them and I’m reminded that out there in our communities, there are those who are voiceless in these matters to whom we are now providing a voice... and I become more determined to carry on.”