Furious backlash sees Highland councillors accused of letting 'democracy die in a ditch' after they cancelled a key item seen as holding the leadership to account
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The first decision taken at today’s postponed Highland Council meeting was to cancel a key item widely seen as a means to hold the leadership to account.
Cancelling Question to the Leader sparked a furious backlash from opposition councillors, with one saying: "I think local democracy has died in a ditch today."
It comes just a month after the local authority was accused of behaving like 'the Kremlin' during the same item at the November meeting of council.
Questions to the Leader sees members ask Councillor Margaret Davidson about almost anything and it functions a little like Question Time at Westminster or First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood.
Answers to initial questions are issued in advance of the meeting but supplementary questions are asked on the day.
It is seen as a major opportunity to challenge the leadership of the council on a range of issues that may not otherwise come up.
Central to that is one question from a member of the public as well as dozens of questions from members.
But Thurso and Northwest Caithness and deputy SNP group leader Karl Rosie called for the item to be cancelled, arguing that this was the best way to complete the meeting in a timely way amid concerns about IT problems.
He was supported by Inverness South SNP Cllr Ken Gowans who had a question asking the council attempting to meet Living Wage “designation status” for the region.
Leader of the Conservative group and Inverness South Cllr Andrew Jarvie railed against the development labelling it a “disgraceful abuse” of process, vowing to re-table his questions at the next council meeting for a full hearing.
His deputy and Thurso and Northwest Caithness, Cllr Struan Mackie, has submitted a motion to break-up the council to establish more local democracy.
He said: “Very telling that members who hadn’t submitted questions were enthusiastic at removing the opportunity for others to do so.
“Particularly disappointed for the member of the public who gave up their time to engage with the ‘democratic process.’
"It was very telling that members who hadn’t submitted questions to the council leadership were some of those enthusiastic at removing the opportunity for others to do so.
"Given that I have heard the Administration wishes to talk out my motion: I think local democracy has died in a ditch today."
