MID ARGYLL COUNCILLOR IS NEW PROVOST

A vote on freezing the council tax this year will take place on Monday April 15, after a u-turn on a 10 per cent hike led to the old administration at Argyll and Bute Council being deposed.

But councillors will also be asked to vote on raising council tax by seven per cent next year instead.

Last Thursday, after votes called by Argyll and Bute Council’s opposition to oust the ruling administration ended in a draw, a new council leader and provost were elected by the cut of a deck of cards.

By pure luck, both challengers from the Strategic Opposition Partnership (SOP) drew higher cards than the incumbents from The Argyll, Lomond and Islands Group (TALIG).

After a vote for a new provost tied 18-18, independent councillor for Mid Argyll

Dougie Philand drew an eight of clubs, over incumbent provost Councillor Maurice Corr, who cut a two of diamonds.

Taking his new seat in the Kilmory Castle chamber, newly elected Provost Philand said: “Thank you very much for entrusting your trust in me. And I can only hope that I will follow in the footsteps of previous provosts.

“I think it’s only right at this time that we all collectively show our appreciation to the outgoing provost, Councillor Maurice Corry, for his two years in office. He certainly held the council’s head up high. I would ask the whole chamber to congratulate Maurice on a job well done.”

Councillor Philand told the Advertiser afterwards: “It looked uncertain right up to the wire how the vote would go with the 36 councillors so when we got 18 each, it was extremely nerve-racking to have a cut of the cards with Maurice.

“It was a surreal moment - one minute cutting the cards and then next chairing the council meeting.”

After the next vote for a new council leader tied 18-18 too, Kintyre and the Islands councillor Robin Currie drew a six of hearts and opposition SNP leader, Councillor Jim Lynch, Oban South and the Isles, beat it with a king of spades, becoming the new leader of the council.

In October, the Scottish Government announced a council tax freeze this year, offering compensation if councils implemented the policy.

But it was not enough for the old administration, which voted to raise council tax by 10 per cent to help overcome

“severe and on-going budget cuts”.

Then it u-turned, saying talks with Holyrood had secured an extra £6.26 million.

It is estimated the reversal will cost £80,000.

The SNP seized its moment by calling a special meeting for Thursday April 4 to elect a new council leader and provost.

There are 36 seats in the Kilmory Castle chamber.

The TALIG administration ruled with half - 18 seats uniting nine Conservatives, five Liberal Democrats and four Independents.

The SNP, the biggest single party, has just 12 councillors but it partnered with Helensburgh Central councillor Fiona Howard from Labour - a unionist party - plus two other independents: Councillor Philand and Lomond North councillor Mark Irvine.

The three unaligned councillors, Luna Martin, Jennifer Kelly and Tommy Macpherson, voted with them too to reach 18.

A new administration, with new policy leads for education, health, economy, transport and other departments is due to be agreed at the next council meeting on Thursday April 25.

Before then, on Monday April 15, councillors will vote on reversing the 10 per cent tax freeze for 2024-25.

However, councillors will also be asked to approve, in principle, a council tax rise of “at least seven per cent” for the following year, 2025-26