SNP demand removal of Conservatives from administrative roles

The SNP group on Edinburgh Council say they will formally propose the removal of Conservative councillors from the council administration at the next council meeting on 24 November.

When the 13 strong Labour group formed the administration last May two of the Conservative councillors were given positions which might otherwise have been taken up by administration councillors.

Two Conservative councillors were given administration jobs in licensing and regulatory, jobs with responsibilities for enforcing short term lets policy and controlling the provision of alcohol. Under council rules this is the first time the SNP have been able to propose overturning the Conservative appointments, as six months have now elapsed since they were made.

Cllr Joanna Mowat Conservative councillor for the City Centre PHOTO ©2022 The Edinburgh Reporter

Cllr Jo Mowat is Convener of the Licensing Sub-Committee and Cllr Jason Rust is Vice-Convener of the Licensing Board.

SNP Group Leader Cllr Adam McVey continually expresses his view that there is presumed to be a coalition administration of Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in Edinburgh, as these groups voted in favour of the Labour group forming an administration when the council met on 26 May.

Labour was prevented from entering any formal coalition agreement (as it did with the SNP in the last administration) by Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar.

Launch of 2022 Edinburgh Labour Manifesto at Coffee Saints with Cllr Cammy Day and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar MSP PHOTO ©2022 The Edinburgh Reporter

Adam McVey in the City Chambers ahead of the full council meeting on 26 May 2022 ©2022 The Edinburgh Reporter

All the main convenerships are filled by Labour councillors and Cllr Cammy Day was declared to be Council Leader. The position of council leader is an annual post as every political group has an AGM when it reelects its office bearers. When the SNP took the lead in the coalition in 2017, it had been widely thought that the then leader, Cllr Frank Ross, would become Council Leader, but in a deal with his party colleagues he became Lord Provost instead, making way for Cllr McVey to become the youngest leader of The City of Edinburgh Council.

McVey said: “Simply, we believe the Tories should not hold offices in the administration in Edinburgh. The Tories lost half their seats at the last Council election as they were rejected by residents. We know that our Labour colleagues didn’t go into politics wanting to hand positions of power to right wingers and we hope they will join us in voting to remove Conservatives from administration. We’re giving Edinburgh’s Labour councillors an opportunity to show where they stand – with the Tories or against them.”

In addition Liberal Democrat councillors hold positions as follows:

Licensing Board Cllr Louise Young
Development Management Sub-Committee Cllr Hal Osler
Regulatory Committee – Cllr Neil Ross

Cllr Kate Campbell (SNP) is Convener of the Governance Risk and Best Value Committee – but this role is always filled by an opposition councillor.

The council meets on Thursday at 10am and you will find the papers here.