A cross-party collective has this week seized control of Dumfries and Galloway Council.
And the local authority has appointed co-leaders for the first time since its inception in 1995.
Annandale North Councillor Stephen Thompson, leader of the SNP group, and Lochar member Linda Dorward, who heads up the Labour group, have agreed to share the top job.
The unusual move was agreed after SNP, Labour, Lib Dems and Independent councillors teamed up to form a rainbow alliance administration.
The opposition Conservatives – the largest political group on the council with 16 elected members – had put forward Annandale North Councillor Gail Macgregor to serve as council leader.
However, this was defeated on a 25-17 vote as SNP, Labour, one Lib Dems councillor, and five of the six independents joined forces.
Councillor Thompson shook the hand of Councillor Dorward as she joined him at the top table to lead the way for the council this term.
Councillor Thompson said: “Congratulations to everybody for getting elected. I don’t know if I’ve spoken to you all personally since the election, but we are all here to do a job for Dumfries and Galloway Council.
“I look forward to working with all of you in the next session as we go forward.”
Conservatives group leader Gail Macgregor had held discussions with the other political groups following the election on May 5, and said she was hoping to form an administration that was “as collaborative and inclusive as possible”.
She had congratulated the new leadership earlier in the council meeting, but was disappointed that the new alliance administration took charge of most of the key positions within council committees.
She said: “We are the largest group on the council. A vibrant, talented, visionary group of 16 that have yet again been shut out of the main running of the council, which is incredibly unfortunate and doesn’t reflect the 38 percent of the vote that we succeeded in getting on May 5.”
While Councillors Thompson and Dorward will share the council leadership role, the former also takes on the local authority convener role – which means he is effectively civic head. Mrs Dorward is his deputy in this lead civic role.
This first council meeting gave an indication as to how difficult it may be for decision-making going forward.
The first four matters on the agenda were forced to a vote, with the rainbow alliance siding together to outnumber the Conservatives and pass their decisions.
Out of the 32 councils across Scotland, Moray, Aberdeen City, and Fife have also appointed co-leaders so far this term.
