OT Opposition loses bid to save culture chief by single vote
Opposition councillors in Argyll and Bute have failed in their bid to save the authority’s cultural co-ordinator post from the axe.
The Strategic Opposition Partnership, made up of SNP, Green, Labour and some independent councillors, moved an amended budget as the council made its financial plans for 2023/24.
It agreed with some of the ruling Argyll, Lomond and Islands group’s budget proposals, such as a five per cent council tax increase and the rejection of a savings option on school crossing patrollers.
But it wanted to retain the cultural co-ordinator post, which was also under scrutiny and which the administration budget decided to remove.
In the end, the opposition partnership’s budget was defeated by 18 votes to 17 at
Thursday’s meeting.
Councillor Jim Lynch, SNP, Oban South and the Isles, the opposition partnership’s leader, said when presenting the budget proposal: “There is no doubt that we face difficult times, with Covid, high interest rates and inflation, and our priorities reflect the need to support the economy.
“People listening in will want to know how the budget will affect them.
“By taking the decision to increase council tax by five per cent we are able to reject some of the savings options.
“We would reject the removal of the cultural co-ordinator post and the removal of school crossing patrollers.
“These services have a major impact on our communities and we must look at how we can move forward and make them better.
“Our budget investments are in key priorities, like the road network.
“To meet this challenge we will invest £4.551 million on our road network, and provide another £250,000 to replace ageing equipment.
“We will make provision for an environment warden based in Mid-Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands to bring it into line with the rest of the council area, and we will also invest to improve road safety in rural areas.
“We will also fund resources to help those struggling with rising costs and provide grant support to the Citizens Advice Bureau, Bute Advice Centre, ALIEnergy and Rape Crisis Argyll.
“This will help to deliver much-needed support against a background of ever-rising costs, and we will create a cost of living contingency fund.”
Mid Argyll Independent Councillor Douglas Philand seconded the amendment and added: “We find ourselves in unprecedented times, and it does affect us.
“We think the budget amendment offers a way to assist with the difficulties, while realising we have to do it in a tight fiscal environment.
“It is key that we work within what we have.
“We are going to be focusing on people, because that is the most important thing.”
The budget was decided after a roll call vote where the Strategic Opposition Partnership’s amendment narrowly lost.
The only councillor not present on Thursday, either remotely or in person in the council chamber in Lochgilphead, was Julie McKenzie, SNP, Oban North and Lorn – though she submitted her apologies in advance.
Even if she had attended, though, and had backed the opposition’s spending plans to make the vote 18-18, the ruling administration’s budget would still almost certainly have won the day, thanks to the casting vote of the council’s provost, Conservative councillor Maurice Corry.