Following the budget – administration will speak to other political groups to find a way forward
By 32 votes to 29 it is the Liberal Democrat budget which was passed in the City Chambers in Edinburgh on Thursday afternoon.
The 32 votes cast in favour of the opposition budget is made up of 12 Liberal Democrat councillors, 11 Labour councillors (Cllr Faccenda was called away from the Chamber urgently) and the 9 Conservative councillors. Labour’s own budget fell at the first round of voting so they voted for the Liberal Democrat motion as the least worst solution.
So how will the Labour administration run the council with another party’s budget?
Clearly there will have to be some negotiations over the next few days between at least the Labour group and the Liberal Democrats.
The Council Leader said he has had discussions with every party on the council except the SNP who “have failed to engage with us”.
He said he has a monthly discussion with group leaders on the council but the SNP did not turn up.
Here was the initial reaction from group leaders: