‘Noah’s Ark’ problem for victor

WEST Dunbartonshire is another of Scotland’s smallest authorities

The council’s relatively recent history as the country’s most dysfunctional may see West Dunbartonshire remain Labour next week.

A decade ago, the party took unprecedented action over poor performance and allegations of bullying against its Labour leader, sparking a major inquiry.

It was a pretty low base for the SNP administration that succeeded it between 2007 and 2012 to build on.

Instead, the new regime was split by civil war, a stream of dire inspections by watchdogs and the bizarre spectacle of the chief executive claiming his was bullied by his politicians.

Since Labour again took the reins in 2012 the most remarkable thing about the council is how unremarkable it has become.

An outright majority under the leadership of Martin Rooney has led to a stable administration in the 22-member council and extinguishing any oppositional fire from the local SNP.

Jim Bollan, the Scottish Socialist, and the pony-tailed independent George Black, are now trading as the West Dunbartonshire Community Party.

Jackie Baillie, the local MSP, is also a pivotal Labour presence and at the forefront of its ability to make political capital from the jobs at nearby Faslane Naval Base and fears around the future of the Vale of Leven hospital.

Given some internal SNP concerns about the energy of its local campaign in the area, Mr Rooney appears to have more grounds for optimism than party colleagues in similar shoes.

“But it’s gone stale”, said one SNP source. “West Dunbartonshire needs a boost of energy and ideas.”

It is fielding enough candidates for an overall majority and sees the success of local MP Martin Docherty, whose sister is standing on May 4, as indicative of SNP support.

Whichever party wins has the perennial problem for any West Dunbartonshire administration. Dominated by Clydebank and Dumbarton, the council was once dubbed “Noah’s Ark”. It was required to have two of everything.

Even parties have internal splits based on local rivalries.