New-look Highland Council set to be unveiled
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A NEW Highland Council coalition is expected to be announced today (Thursday) after a week of political wrangling.
The Independents have been in discussions for several days with the Lib Dems and Labour, and the three groups are now poised to form a fresh administration to run Highland Council.
It brings to an end the coalition of SNP/Lib Dem/Labour which has governed the council since 2012.
The Lib Dems walked out of the former coalition in a shock move a week ago saying they were no longer able to work with the nationalists.
The Lib Dems claimed the SNP had not taken forward the agreed position of the council because they had been gagged by the party nationally.
However, this was strenuously rebutted by Cllr Maxine Smith, the SNP group leader on the council, who said nationalist councillors had often voted against central policy.
The new leader of the Highland Council is likely to be Cllr Margaret Davidson (Aird and Loch Ness), who leads the 31-strong Independent group.
Of the emerging coalition, Cllr Davidson said: "The detail is still be be ironed out, but we’ll provide a stable council to take us through the next two years, which are going to be very difficult."
The ousted SNP members are awaiting today’s announcement.
Cllr Maxine Smith (Cromarty Firth) told the North Star: "The SNP group remains disappointed and concerned by this unnecessary disruption and uncertainty to the Highland Council, its business and officers.
"If we have been forced into opposition by a new alliance then we will embrance it. As a group, we have members with a huge breadth of skills and experience so we will use these attributes to scrutinise the decisions taken by the new administration.
"We will continue to be the voice of the Highland people and work with all partners to produce what is best for the Highlands."
Meanwhile, three Independents have quit their group amid differences.
Jaci Douglas (Strathspey and Badenoch) and Carolyn Wilson (Cromarty Firth) quit after Cllr Margaret Davidson was appointed group leader. Jim Crawford (Inverness) walked out yesterday.
The political make-up on the council is now:
Independents - 31
SNP - 21
Lib Dems - 11
Labour - 8
Highland Alliance - 5
Non-alligned - 4
