P&J "Completely Wrong" on Administration at Aberdeenshire Council

Councillor
Richard Thomson

In response to the wholly-inaccurate front-page lead in the Press & Journal, Co-Leader of Aberdeenshire Council Richard Thomson has sent the following letter to the Editor for publication:
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To: pj.editor@ajl.co.uk

Dear Sir,

Your Monday front page lead and editorial gets it completely wrong on several key points about Aberdeenshire Council's review of governance.

Administration councillors understand perfectly well what we have decided. New committees with different responsibilities require chairs to be appointed and the administration will be putting forward our candidates for those positions. Those positions will go to those whom the chamber decides to support - not necessarily to the group with the largest number of councillors.

There is a clear route to power for any opposition which wishes to become an administration and that is to win a vote to remove the Provost. That's not up for discussion as part of the reforms being implemented. To attempt to change administration in any other way would be constitutionally improper, which is why the scenario painted in your story will not happen.

If there is a change in administration in January, it will not be because the Partnership Administration has "voted itself out of power". It will be because the opposition will have done what they already have the numbers to do if they so choose.

It makes one wonder how many other stories appearing in the P&J are based on similarly weak assertions and misunderstandings. Meantime, we'll get on with the business of running the council.

Yours etc,

Cllr Richard Thomson
Co-Leader, Aberdeenshire Council