Moray’s SNP Council Group has called on the Scottish Conservatives to independently investigate behavioural issues within the party in Moray.
In a letter to Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party Chairman Craig Hoy MSP, SNP Council Group Co-Leader, Cllr Graham Leadbitter, has highlighted concerns around the fitness of one councillor to hold a senior councillor role – concerns that have been raised by SNP, Labour and Independent Councillors, as well as by a retired Conservative Councillor.
In addition, the debacle of the Conservative Council Group having a vote of no confidence in one of their Co-Leaders, Cllr Neil McLennan, who has subsequently resigned from the party and sits as an Independent just 10 weeks after the election, raises more questions than answers.
Cllr McLennnan and the remaining group of 10 Conservative councillors have both cited behavioural problems of Conservative councillors in claims and counterclaims.
Commenting on the SNP’s calls for an independent investigation by the Conservative Party, Cllr Graham Leadbitter said:
“Whilst we have different political views from each other I sincerely believe that the majority of councillors seek the role because they genuinely want to improve things for their community and find better ways of delivering public services.
“It is very difficult to do so, however, if the Council’s Administration is riven with internal issues.
“The recent resignation from the Conservative Council Group of one of their Co-Leaders, Cllr Neil McLennan, and the subsequent claim and counterclaim of bad behaviour between him and the remaining Conservative Group does nothing to help the people of Moray and the services they and their communities rely on.
“The Scottish Conservative Party needs to get a grip on these issues if we are to have a more positive environment for the Council and Moray to make progress.
“That is why the SNP, as the main opposition group tasked with scrutiny of the Conservative Administration, has written to Scottish Conservative Party Chairman, Craig Hoy MSP, calling for an independent investigation of these issues that appear to be escalating rather than getting resolved.
“Given the Scottish Conservatives Leader Douglas Ross plays an integral part in the Moray Conservatives as the local MSP and MP he must also back an independent investigation of these issues or risk being mired in them himself.”
