Liberal Democrat Group could quit Highland Council administration
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THE Liberal Democrat group at Highland Council are in talks with other groups with a view to forming a new administration to run the council, it emerged this evening.
Liberal Democrat group leader, the council's deputy leader, David Alston said: "We have found it increasingly difficult to work with the SNP as effective partners.
"We retain our respect for many individual members of the SNP but have deep concerns about the way in wich they are being muzzled by their own party.
"We do not believe the SNP leadership of the council took forward and campaigned on the agreed posiions of the council, among which was an agreement to oppose the routine arming of the police and an agreement to call for NHS Highland to receive its fair share of Scottish health funding.
"We believe they have failed to campaign on their own issues because they were not prepared to criticise their own party. This was both a failure in leadership of the council and a failure to represent the Highlands."
An internal statement to councillors said: "Councillor David Alston will remain the Acting Leader until the Highland Council meeting on June 25th. At Highland Council, a new administration will be formed and a Leader elected."
Maxine Smith, the Cromarty Firth councillor who was poised to be the next council leader, said: "I’m extremely saddened and concerned to hear this. The SNP clearly have a mandate from the people of Scotland to represent them and they are also the largest party by far in the Highland Council.
"I can’t believe that one of our partners would take the decision to try and de-stabilise Council at a time when it’s moving forward so well. The SNP will now also have to consider its options in the light of this worrying news."
The Liberal Democrat group on the 80-strong Highland Council includes 12 members. Amongst them are several Ross-shire councillors: David Alston (Black Isle), Jamie Stone (Tain and Easter Ross) and Angela Maclean (Dingwall and Seaforth).
The 21-strong SNP group includes Maxine Smith (Cromarty Firth), Ian Cockburn (Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh), Craig Fraser (Black Isle) and Graham MacKenzie (Dingwall and Seaforth). The council leader was Drew Hendry, elected as an SNP MP at the general election.
The Highland Council also has 34 councillors who stand as Independents and eight Labour members.
And there's also a breakaway Highland Alliance group which includes a total of five councillors.
Cromarty Firth councillor Maxine Smith was confirmed as the new SNP group leader following Drew Hendry's election.
This story will be updated.
