SNP councillors have launched a bid to unseat the leader of Falkirk Council following a series of controversies including a grant to the Orange Order and a £1 million HQ “fiasco”.
Councillor Craig Martin will be challenged to stand down as leader of the Labour-Tory-Independent coalition at a special meeting next week.
The opposing SNP group claims Martin’s leadership has damaged the council’s reputation and cost the public, thanks to an “unnecessarily harsh” budget and the taking of more than £1,000 out of already-restricted community grant funds to help pay for a march through the town later this month.
Meanwhile, a controversial plan to build a new £25 million headquarters and town hall was shelved after preparatory work cost an estimated £560,000 – while axing it completely would take the total up to £1m.
Yesterday, SNP Councillor David Alexander, who represents Falkirk North, said: “We are focused on issues rather than personalities. But it is impossible to criticise the leadership without criticising the leader. We want to bring about change. What we are looking for is not just a change in personnel, we are looking for a change in performance levels from senior members in the administration.”
Papers circulated yesterday ask councillors to convene on Wednesday morning to discuss Martin’s future.
The motion states: “Council notes that there is increasing concern with regard to this council’s management of public funds, in particular recent financial decisions that have caused reputational damage to the council.
“As a result there is a lack of confidence in the current leadership of the council, therefore we now call on the leader of the administration to accept responsibility and to stand down from his position.”
The 14 Labour members in the authority work in coalition with two Tories and one independent councillor, with the SNP group numbering 13 and the Non-Aligned Independent Group (NAIG) including two others.
Last night a council insider suggested schisms within the administration and inside the Labour group could cost Martin his position.
A source said: “It changes from one week to another. There are more internal agendas in that administration than I have ever seen. Promoting the Orange Order, I believe, came from one member and the Tories have distanced themselves from the town centre project.
“It is not a happy ship. The HMS Titanic is probably a reasonable name for the administration at the moment.”
In a statement, NAIG councillors Robert Spears and Brian McCabe said recent decisions by the administration have “severely damaged” the reputation of the council and backed the call for Martin to “reflect” on these and account for recent funding decisions, adding: “The constituents of Falkirk Council deserve a full explanation on his administration’s dismissal of council policy.”
Meanwhile, SNP group leader Cecil Meiklejohn said the administration has been “paralysed by division” and continued: “We take no satisfaction from having to make this call for change within Falkirk Council but the events of the last few months are calling out for transformation within the local authority.
“We take no satisfaction from having to make this call for change within Falkirk Council but the events of the last few months are calling out for transformation within the local authority.”
Coun Martin and Falkirk Council did not respond to repeated calls for comment from The National last night.
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