£22k spent on botched by-election blasted as a ‘disgrace’ by councillor
Politician slams‘catalogue of errors’by local authority
The cost of a botched Renfrewshire by-election has spiralled to more than £22,000, the council has confirmed.
Local authority chiefs had to scrap the poll in the Paisley Southeast ward in November when it emerged that controversial former councillor Paul Mack had lodged another appeal against his disqualification.
They were waiting on a final invoice from Royal Mail to establish the complete outlay, having determined initial costs had reached £15,823 in December.
Elected members had demanded the “total cost to the public purse” of the calling of and subsequent cancellation of the by-election, which Renfrewshire Council subsequently advised came in at £22,342.55.
A breakdown of the figures previously showed the printing and postage of ballot papers and postal vote packs cost £8,510, while money was also spent on the dispatch of mail to voters and external legal fees.
The situation has been branded a “disgrace” by Councillor Eddie Devine, re-elected in Paisley Southeast earlier this month, who bemoaned a “catalogue of errors” from the council.
He said: “It’s an absolute waste of money that didn’t need to happen if the council had done their job correctly.”
The by-election had been triggered after Mack’s appeal against a 16-month ban was rejected by the Sheriff Principal on October 21 of last year and was due to take place on December 14.
He had been disqualified from being an elected representative over a series of “personal attacks” directed at colleagues, which the Standards Commission said “amounted to harassment”.
However, Mack launched a further appeal in the Court of Session, which the by-election’s returning officer Ken Graham was made aware of when he received a letter from the former elected member’s solicitors.
Mr Graham in turn sought legal advice and found the by-election could not proceed.
Councillor Devine, who refused to speak Mack’s name, said costs had been incurred by the candidates, as well as the council.
He added: “It wasn’t just the council that had spent money either, the political parties spent a lot of money on campaign materials.
“I know we spent money on literature. It’s a disgrace, it was a catalogue of errors from the council.
“Hopefully the council have learned a lesson. They should know what they are doing.
“I was assured that there was nowhere else for that person to go and he pops up.”
Ultimately Mack succeeded in reducing the ban from preventing him holding office to ten months, which - as it did before - ran from May 2021 and allowed him to stand in the recent council election.
However, the independent candidate did not win a seat after returning 452 first preference votes.
“I’m very happy that the people saw through him and didn’t vote him in,” Councillor Devine said.
“It hurt. I can deal with it myself, but when you attack my family, when you attack innocent bystanders, because you hate me, that’s not nice.
“He’s gone and he won’t be elected for at least five years, I’m glad.”
A council spokesman said: “Renfrewshire’s returning officer issued his sincere apology to candidates, agents and local voters for the disruption, disappointment and inconvenience caused by the cancellation last year of the Paisley Southeast by-election, explaining the reason behind this decision in a full statement at that time and subsequently ensuring the final cost impact of the cancellation has been provided to all elected members.”
Hopefully the council have learned a lesson. They should know what they are doing