Labour secured control of West Lothian Council in a marathon 10-hour voting session on Wednesday night, in a move the SNP have dubbed 'undemocratic'.
The SNP won the largest share of the public vote and, with 15, has the largest number of councillors. They had proposed a power sharing deal with Labour.
Instead Labour veterans Cathy Muldoon and Lawrence Fitzpatrick were elected as Provost and council leader respectively, thanks to the support of the Conservative councillors.
READ MORE: West Lothian council to be run by Labour after 'grubby coalition' with Tories
SNP councillors lined up to denounce the coalition of 16 Labour and Tory councillors, who form the bulk of the new administration
All but the Linlithgow Local Area Committee, which was won after a draw by Lib Dem Sally Pattle who was nominated by the SNP, will be controlled by Labour councillors across the nine wards. It’s a reflection of the previous administration.
All of the Policy Development and Scrutiny Panels, (PDSP) will be controlled by Labour. Conservative councillors have control of the oversight committees: the Audit Committee, led by Angela Doran-Timson; and the Governance and Risk Committee is led by Damian Doran-Timson, the Tory group leader.
Conservatives were elected as vice chairs in Livingston North LAC, East Livingston and East Calder, Livingston South , and Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh.
Independent Stuart Borrowman retained leadership of the Education Quality Assurance Committee and became chair of the Development Management Committee as well as the Performance Committee.
SNP group leader Councillor Janet Campbell told the meeting: “People rightly expect those whom they elect should have decision making positions. The SNP approached Labour with the aim of forming a progressive alliance in the face Tory austerity. This is what the population of West Lothian voted for.”
She said Labour’s proposed administration would not be forgiven.
Fellow SNP councillor Robert De Bold said. "This motion represents the only opportunity in a generation to change the political culture for the better. And ensures that all who were elected have a voice.”
He added that the plan “makes a reality” the reforms to local government representation in Scotland brought in in 2005 by Labour and the Lib Dems in 2005 with high hopes of collegiate working with all parties represented.
“Adversarial politics has not served us well,” he said.
After the meeting Councillor Campbell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We approached the Labour Party, who came second, with a fair and proportionate partnership arrangement for which we hoped would be the basis for an agreement to take West Lothian forward. The Labour Party failed to return our later calls to get round the table to discuss this.
"Instead, Labour and Tory councillors, who make up 12% of Councillors elected, voted together to put both parties into positions of power on West Lothian Council.
“The SNP, the largest party and the people’s choice for West Lothian have, once again, been excluded by a Tory/Labour Coalition in an undemocratic and unequal manner.
“To add insult to injury, at the very end of the meeting which lasted almost 10 hours Tory and Labour Councillors voted together to award themselves hefty remuneration packages. The SNP called for this decision to be deferred to the appropriate committee in order for proper scrutiny to take place but were defeated by the very people who had just awarded themselves large pay increases.
“What happened on Tuesday was certainly not democratic- it is quite clearly another coalition which has put the party which is bringing austerity to West Lothian at the very heart of decision making in our county.”
A Labour motion was also passed which has proposed cutting the number of PDSPs from 9 to 7 and refocusing the others.
The council will consider these changes at a meeting at the end of June. The main aim is to help improve and streamline decision making and make their remits more relevant to current priorities and concerns.
It also plans to concentrate on housing and homelessness and recognise the importance of economic development, economic growth and employment as a result of the pandemic and the current economic situation.
The new Local Area Committee chairs and vice-chairs are:
Linlithgow: Sally Pattle, Lib Dem; Tom Conn, Labour.
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh: Ann Davidson, Labour; Angela Doran-Timson, Conservative.
Livingston North: Anne McMillan, Labour; Alison Adamson, Conservative.
Livingston South: Lawrence Fitzpatrick, Labour; Peter Heggie, Conservative.
Livingston East and East Calder: Danny Logue, Labour; Damian Doran-Timson, Conservative.
Whitburn and Blackburn: George Paul, Labour; Kirsteen Sullivan, Labour
Bathgate: Harry Cartmill, Labour; Tony Pearson, Labour.
Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley: Craig Meek, Labour; Cathy Muldoon, Labour.
Armadale and Blackridge: Andrew McGuire, Labour; Stuart Borrowman, Independent
The chairs and vice-chairs of the PDSPs are, unless stated, Labour:
Partnership and Resources: Lawrence Fitzpatrick, Kirsteen Sullivan,
Culture and Leisure: Craig Meek, Cathy Muldoon.
Development and Transport: Kirsteen Sullivan, Tony Pearson.
Education: Andrew McGuire, Lawrence Fitzpatrick.
Environment, Tom Conn, Cathy Muldoon.
Health and Care: Anne McMillan , Anne Davidson.
Services for the Community: George Paul, Andrew McGuire.
Social Policy: Danny Logue, George Paul.
Voluntary Organisations: Tony Pearson, Craig Meek.
