Tories must now lead the way for every one of us
It might lack the pomp and ceremony of its Buckingham Palace equivalent – but when there’s a Changing of the Guard at Castle Grayskull . . . you can bet someone’s getting their marching orders!
Stepping down is Peter Henderson, now former Commanding Officer of the South Ayrshire Council Members (SNP Division).
Stepping up in his place comes Martin Dowey, Colonel-in-Chief, the Corps of Conservatives.
As one of the lower ranks who was part of that changeover, I’d like to thank Mr Henderson for his service as leader . . . and wish Mr Dowey every success in his new command.
Unlike the almost daily ceremony on the Buckingham Palace forecourt – this new guard is likely to remain unchanged for the next five years, at least. But what will hopefully alter radically is the way South Ayrshire Council thinks, acts, communicates, consults and responds to the will of the people it was elected to serve.
Change is pretty pointless if the new cannot improve on the old.
To be fair to all sides, the battle for leadership and control of SAC was a close run thing.
Twenty-four hours before votes were to be cast in the council chamber – I was told to be on standby for a stand-off . . . a leadership contest that could be decided by a pack of cards!
Er . . seriously?
After 60 candidates stood in eight wards and attracted 40,001 voters – was it all going to come down to whether Peter could draw a Jack that trumped Martin’s ten of clubs?
I started to wonder if they’d toss a coin to decide who drew first.
As my brain failed to cope with this nonsense, I wondered if they’d show Kenny Roger’s ‘The Gambler’ on the county hall’s big screens just hype up the drama!
Thankfully, Eileen Howat’s deck stayed firmly in her handbag.
And I’m pleased to report that it was how the four independent councillors voted – or didn’t vote – that helped win the day.
Yet, the biggest influence on who runs South Ayrshire fell to the five Labour candidates who – thanks to instructions from their party bosses – sat on their hands and had no influence at all!
By virtue of his surname, on an alphabetical roll call vote, Labour’s Ian Cavana was first to announce “abstain”.
You could almost hear his teeth gritting. Wild rumours of plots, counter plots and sub-plots between the SNP and Labour groups turned out to be . . . wild rumours!
With that one word from Ian - the game was a bogey!
SNP leader Peter Henderson looked ruddy – but resigned to his fate. Tory leader Martin Dowey, sensing a carefully plotted victory, looked business- like.
And Labour leader Brian McGinley just looked on . . . as his party’s helplessness unfolded.
With Conservatives installed as provost, depute-provost, council leader and depute council leader – it was handshakes all round the Tory bench as Cllr Dowey asked for a 30-minute recess to roughly outline his “cabinet”.
But it’s what he does in the next 30 days that will be the measure of the man.
During the election campaign, all three party leaders made reference to the “toxic” politics of the previous administration.
But here we are, the votes counted, and the same three men still lead roughly the same people. What has changed?
For me, it’s all down to style and substance – not personalities.
Martin Dowey must be inclusive in inviting the right people for the right roles – irrespective of the parties they represent.
And when they finally sit around the same table – the much talked about “consensus and collaboration” must be allowed to flourish. With the majority of votes and the majority of seats – the people of south Ayrshire have delivered for Martin Dowey.
Now it’s Martin’s turn to deliver – but not just for his supporters.
He is the new leader of South Ayrshire Council.
He must lead the way for EVERYONE in South Ayrshire.
But what he does in the next 30 days will be the measure of the man