The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Councillors decide leadership roles with cut of cards
A row has erupted over the leadership of a north-east council committee.
The Banff and Buchan area committee meeting had to be delayed on Tuesday after it was announced that the group’s chairman and vice-chairman were on holiday.
Instead, councillors present had to nominate each other to take temporary charge. And, in a bizarre situation, a tie between Conservative Mark Findlater and the SNP’s Brian Topping was only resolved by both men cutting a deck of cards.
Mr Findlater eventually won the contest by drawing an ace.
But following the meeting the parties became embroiled in a war of words over the “appropriateness” of the absences.
SNP councillor Ross Cassie said: “I don’t understand why people put themselves up for election and then do not make an attempt to represent the people and the communities in the ward that elected them.
“We have lengthy recesses in the council calendar in line with school holidays when there are many opportunities for holidaying outwith the committee timetables.” Last night, a Conservative spokesman confirmed Andy Kille, the area committee’s chairman, was not at the meeting. He added that his holiday was pre-booked before Mr Kille decided to run as a councillor. Michael Roy, the vicechairman, said his holiday was one he took every year and had also been booked before the May elections.
He declined to comment further.