Charity lodges formal complaint following controversial meeting

Mental health charity Plus Perth has lodged a formal complaint about the way its members were treated at a controversial meeting in the council chambers.

The group had attended a scheduled meeting of the Perth and Kinross Integration Joint Board (IJB) in July, expecting to hear a discussion on Dr David Strang’s damning report on mental health services in Tayside.

However, the meeting descended into chaos when Plus Perth members and other residents were told to leave the room. When the public refused, senior members of the IJB walked out instead.

Conservative councillors Callum Purves and Colin Stewart, who had spoken out against the meeting’s cancellation, have since been suspended after complaints were made by some IJB members. They will find out this afternoon if they will be ejected from the board.

Plus Perth has now issued a strongly-worded complaint to Perth and Kinross Council and called for “disrespectful and substandard behaviour towards the public” to be investigated.

Meanwhile, the Kinrossshire Civic Trust has written to council leader Murray Lyle, in support of both suspended councillors.

Secretary Eileen Thomas said: “We consider that councillors Purves and Stewart were continuing this very commendable approach to representing the best interests of those they are elected to serve.

“In this particular case, they have applied this same commitment to members of the public who were present to seek answers to very legitimate concerns.”