Stirling Council Meeting Today

There was a meeting at 2pm today which decided the future political make up of Stirling Council’s administration.

It I really important to me that I give a brief background into why I voted the way I did earlier as I was in the unique position of my vote being pivotal to the future of Stirling Council.

NEGOTIATIONS

Over the last few weeks I have held meetings with the SNP, Greens and Labour Party. I have also spoken to a Conservative Party councillor.

Labour have four councillors out of 23 and they could not offer me anything without Tory support. I have not been invited to any meetings with the Tories. Whilst I dislike the Conservative Party if they and Labour had combined and offered me a deal that benefited the people I represent, I would not have ruled that out.

Labour and the Tories did not offer me any deal.

Last week I published the following demands that I feel are reasonable given that I hold the balance of power.

   COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION

• Planning
• Housing
• Environment

My background is construction so I feel I can best contribute to these committees, as I have done over the last 18 years as a councillor.

FUNDING FOR PROJECTS

I have asked for funding, through next year’s budget process for the following projects that are important in my ward:

FUNDING AND POLICY FOCUS

Fallin Public Transport

I want to see funding to improve public transport for Fallin

Cowie Miners Welfare

I want funding committed to demolish Cowie Miners Welfare building

Law Centre Pilot:

I nearly pulled this off in 2020 but COVID got in the way. I feel very strongly about this as lots of vulnerable people are being failed by lack of legal representation. A law centre gives free legal advice.

Hogmanay Event

I know how much Stirling businesses were gutted when Stirling’s Hogmanay event was stopped so I want to see something restored although it might be too late for this year.

Credit Unions

I want to look at provide funding to widen the outreach work that Stirling (Scotwest) Credit Union provide. They are about to start outreach work in Cowie and Cornton and I would like ot see that widened to Bannockburn, Fallin, Plean and Throsk.

Minewater Thermal Energy

I also told them I want a paper to the appropriate committee before the budget that scopes out the potential in the Bannockburn ward for minewater thermal energy technology.

I am volunteering on a project on behalf of Fallin Community Garden for this technology, see here.

 I also told them I want to establish a group within the Council made up of elected members, officials and industry experts to investigate the potential of this exciting technology.

I am absolutely convinced that this technology, if scaled up adequately, with local and national government support, can tackle fuel poverty in my ward.

The demands I have stated above are only a few of the projects I have asked for and there will be more funding for other projects in my ward.

DISCUSSIONS

SNP Stirling Council Group

I have held two constructive meetings with the SNP group and they have agreed to give me the positions on the committees. They have also agreed to appoint me as the chair of the minewater thermal energy member officer group which will meet after the Christmas holidays.  

They have agreed to consider my project funding requests as part of the budget process next February. I am happy with that offer and fully understand that they cannot commit to that now.

The Green Party Councillor

I met with Cllr Tollemache last week and he is clearly of the view that the current Labour and Tory coalition is not in the best interests of the people of Stirling.

Today’s Meeting

The SNP tabled a motion which had to be voted on today.

I had three choices;

For

If I was to vote for the SNP motion, this would mean that the SNP takes power – but only if they had secured the support of the Green Party councillor

Against

If I was to vote against the SNP motion, the status quo would remain, eg the Labour and Tory coalition remains in power.

Abstain

If I abstained on the SNP motion, then providing the Green councillor supports the SNP the Council is deadlocked and the deadlocked is broken by a cut of the cards. That’s the law!     

MY DECISION

I cannot abstain on this vote as it is too important for the people of Stirling.

SNP

It’s no secret that I had a big fallout with the Stirling Council group in 2022, so trying to reach an agreement with the same people when these wounds have just healed has been very difficult.

Labour

Labour cannot offer me a deal as they rely on the support of the Tories and quite frankly I could never do a deal that involved the Tories.

Tories

My late mum always told me that if the Tories had their way they would have the working class eating grass to survive and they would not give us the light of the day if you gave them power.

The SNP group are by far the biggest party in the Council, 10/23 councillors so I feel they have a legitimate mandate to be running Stirling Council.

The SNP has offered to meet my demands which I feel is what the people who I represent would want.

After much consideration my decision is to enter into a non-binding agreement (not a coalition) with the SNP and Greens today.

I know come the budget that will be tensions in our agreement due to the financial mess left by the Labour and Tory coalition, who have provided little or no political leadership. There is a black hole somewhere in the region of £10m – £13m which will need to be plugged by service cuts or a huge increase in the Council Tax – if national government does not provide extra cash to plug the gap.  

I made it very clear that my Independent status would not be compromised by any deal and I am confident I have managed that in this agreement.