Sixteen senior councillors out of the 43 elected to Dumfries and Galloway Council have been chosen to play key roles in decision-making for the region.
The council’s rainbow coalition, which includes Labour, SNP, Lib Dems and independents, recently appointed the select group to senior positions which also carry a bump up in salary.
The basic annual pay for councillors in Scotland is £19,571, however 14 in Dumfries and Galloway will pocket £24,466 as either chairperson or vice-chairperson of council committees, and as provost.
Meanwhile, council co-leaders Stephen Thompson (SNP) and Linda Dorward (Labour) have opted to split what would otherwise have been £39,148 for leader and £29,361 for deputy leader. Instead, they’ll each receive a salary of £34,254.
The senior councillor appointments are: Archie Dryburgh, Labour – chairperson of communities committee, John Campbell, SNP – vice chairperson of communities committee; Katie Hagmann, SNP – chairperson of economy and resources committee, Sean Marshall, Labour – vice chairperson of economy and resources committee; Richard Brodie, Lib Dems – chairperson of education committee, George Jamieson, SNP – vice chairperson of education committee; Carolyne Wilson, Labour – chairperson of finance, procurement and transformation committee, Dougie Campbell, independent – vice chairperson of finance, procurement and transformation committee; Andy Ferguson, SNP – chairperson of social work committee, Iain Howie, independent – vice chairperson of social work committee; Gail Macgregor, Conservatives – chairperson of audit, risk and scrutiny committee; Jim Dempster, independent – chairperson of planning committee, Emma Jordan, Labour – vice chairperson of planning committee; Tracey Little, SNP – provost.
Meanwhile, Councillor Gail Macgregor, leader of the Conservative group, has this week announced the appointment of opposition portfolio leads. The Conservative team will mirror the senior roles of the SNP/Labour/Lib Dems/Independent administration.
Mrs Macgregor said “The Dumfries and Galloway Conservatives have brought a fresh team to the council and this new opposition team is proof of that. It is a blend of experience and new talent who are ready and raring to go.
“My team brings vision and expertise with portfolio leads drawing on the experience of returning councillors whilst being supported in a co role by our amazing first time councillors.
“They will do the job that people in Dumfries and Galloway want to see from us – holding the administration to account, putting forward positive policy alternatives and ensuring that, through strong opposition, we get better services.”
The Conservatives opposition group has appointed 11 out of 15 councillors to key positions. They are: Mrs Macgregor – leader, Malcolm Johnstone – deputy leader, Pauline Drysdale – chief whip, Ian Blake – secretary/business manager, Ian Blake and Maureen Johnstone – communities, David Inglis and John Denerley – economy and resources; Jackie McCamon and Chrissie Hill – education, Pauline Drysdale and Lynne Davis – social work, Ivor Hyslop – finance, procurement and budget.
