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Who runs Moray Council? Conservative bid backed by two Independents to wrestle control from the SNP


By Alistair Whitfield

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A bid will be made this afternoon to take away control of Moray Council from the SNP administration.

Picture: Daniel Forsyth.
Picture: Daniel Forsyth.

A group of nine Conservative councillors plus two Independents are seeking support from other elected members in order to take over the reigns.

The move comes after the number of SNP councillors was reduced last month to seven out of a total of 26.

A motion to take control will voted upon during an online meeting scheduled to start at 2pm today.

The notice says: "Following the resignation of former Cllr Paula Coy the Conservative Group and the Moray Alliance Group group are concerned that the current minority administration now represents less than a third of the overall council.

"Despite the remaining time for this council before the 2022 council elections the combined groups are conscious that the annual budget is a very significant event with lasting implications for the council beyond the election timetable.

"The combined group are willing to offer 11 councillors to take on the administration and in so doing will focus their efforts to build a truly strong recovery budget, giving strength to our communities and ensuring a commitment to high quality front line services.

"The group give an absolute assurance that the work needed to change will be kept to an absolute minimum with a continued commitment to the Moray Growth Deal, the modernisation and improvement programme and the recovery and renewal programme.

"If successful we will do everything we can to continue to foster positive relations with other groups in the council so together we can produce a strong recovery budget in 2022.

"We recognise that the undersigned 11 councillors can, by coming together, bring enhanced certainty to the council over the remaining months, an area which is identified as high risk in the council’s corporate risk assessment and we would reach out to all other councillors to continue working together for the communities of Moray.

"The combined group therefore recommend that council note the potential benefit in 11 councillors being part of administration and agree to change the leader and convener of the council and by association the administration by agreeing the following appointments."
The notice then goes on to state that Cllr Tim Eagle (Buckie, Conservative) would be appointed the new leader of Moray Council, while Cllr James Allan (Heldon and Laich, Conservative) would become its Convenor.

A webcast of the proceeding will be shown live HERE

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