Nat councillor’s £4k tax debt is cleared by party
Anger at move to give her budget vote
A NATIONALIST councillor had a £4,000 council tax debt paid off by her party – to enable her to vote on the local authority’s budget.
Caroline Stephen, who was elected to North Lanarkshire Council last year, was bailed out using £20 monthly donations from fellow councillors.
Councillors are legally barred from participating in budget votes if they have council tax arrears.
The SNP still lost the vote, despite bailing out Miss Stephen, 43, when the Conservatives backed the minority Labour leadership to pass an alternative plan.
Some of Miss Stephen’s party colleagues were said to be unhappy about the decision to pay her debt. An SNP insider said: ‘It has caused a rift in the group.
‘Only after it was agreed to pay off the debt did many of us actually discover how much it was. By that point it was too late as the decision had been made.
‘Folk are angry about it and are asking why she was allowed to run in the first place with so much debt owed to the council.
‘It makes the whole party in North Lanarkshire look foolish and some people are saying it’s hypocritical for a councillor to be contributing to setting a budget, deciding where to make savings or where to spend money when you owe so much to the public purse.’
When contacted, the SNP would not provide details on their candidate vetting process, or whether Miss Stephen declared her debts before standing as a councillor.
Labour councillor Kevin Docherty, who represents the same area as Miss Stephen, said: ‘Councillors should not have any privilege when it comes to council tax. The average person couldn’t get their debts paid off like that.’
Conservative leader for North Lanarkshire, Meghan Gallagher, said: ‘Not only has the SNP had to bail this person out, but they have had to do so using their own councillors’ money.
‘Most voters would understandably think this is unacceptable.’
When contacted by the Sunday Post, Miss Stephen said she had ‘nothing to say’ about her arrears, adding: ‘I don’t owe anything, ask the council.’
The councillor said her identity had previously been kept secret, and added: ‘I’d like it to stay that way.’
When asked to explain why, she said ‘I don’t wish to discuss it’ then asked repeatedly, ‘What benefit will this have for my constituents?’
Miss Stephen was unavailable for comment yesterday. It is the latest problem facing the SNP in North Lanarkshire. Group leader David Stocks has been criticised in the past for accepting hospitality from the Orange Order, outspoken opponent of the SNP.
Councillor Dr Imtiaz Majid was ordered to pay his ex-wife £150,000 in a divorce settlement when it was found he hid his assets.
In 2016 the Coatbridge branch of the party was briefly suspended after members called each other ‘racist’ and ‘animals’ during a meeting.
An SNP spokesman said: ‘It is entirely appropriate for us to use group funds to help one another.’
A North Lanarkshire Council spokesman said: ‘We do not comment on individual cases.
‘However, all council tax payers are treated equally in the approach to arrears and we would urge anyone struggling with council tax to approach us as soon as possible.’
‘Caused a rift in the group’