Ex-Labourites want a commissioner at NL

Calls have been made this week for the Scottish Government to intervene in the running of North Lanarkshire Council.

The Independent Alliance, made up of former Labour councillors, have written to the Scottish finance minister John Swinney and local government minister, Keith Stewar, asking them to send in a commissioner to run the local authority.

The move comes after a row more than £1.3m of £9m Pupil Equity fund for headteachers is being used to pay for classroom assistants and administration staff, claim the group. In a letter to the local government minister, Craigneuk and Wishawhill councillor Gary O’Rorke, secretary of Independent Alliance, said:“It is great regret that we write to you following further press allegations including the possible loss of £9m worth of Pupil Equity Fund allocation from the Scottish Government to the council due to maladministration by the current administration.

“This is not the first time there has been a considerable loss to the education budget.”

And Councillor O’Rorke said the group were dismayed at“decisions being made on behalf of the council without proper process laid down in council’s standing orders.”

The letter went on to say: “We are deeply concerned that this council is now at breaking point.

“With this depressing situation, our group are making a request to you in your role as government minister to consider sending in a commissioner to run this authority on temporary basis to get it back on track.”

Speaking at last week’s Coltness Community Council in the Carrrick Hall, Wishaw councillor Sam Love, chairman of the Alliance Group, said:“We are very concerned about what is going on in the council.

“There is no consultation and things are pushed through.”