West Lothian’s SNP opposition has been branded childish and accused of “throwing toys out of the pram” and “rank hypocrisy” after refusing to serve on the council’s new Licensing Board.
Ill-tempered exchanges followed the announcement by Councillor Robert de Bold that the SNP would not put forward two councillors to serve on the Board because of the party ‘s poor representation on other council committees. The stance forced a rejig of the committee structure and a reduction in the number of councillors serving on the Licensing Board, which controls the licensed trade in the county.
Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick initially proposed a motion writing to the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to ask her to remonstrate with her local party, and to encourage them to take up posts.
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This idea was dropped after an adjournment however, and a motion eventually passed incorporating only Labour, Conservatives and Independent Councillor Stuart Borrowman as Licensing Board members.
Chief licensing solicitor Audrey Watson told a meeting of the full council that a decision had to be made on a new committee. Three Board meetings have already been cancelled and there are nine licence applications which have yet to go before the Board.
Debate on the Board followed tetchy exchanges over the new structure for Policy Development and Scrutiny Panels, the committees which oversee council business. Many have only one SNP councillor serving on them, despite the nationalists being the largest single group on the council.
Councillor Andrew McGuire, for Labour, reminded the SNP that the council was made up of 33 councillors, not just the 15 SNP members, who had voted to accept the new structures.
Councillor De Bold told the meeting: “Our established position is that if the largest party of the council is going to be systematically under-represented on virtually all other committees then we cannot be expected to take up the slack for the administration on the Licensing Board.”
Councillor Fitzpatrick slated that stance, pointing out that the SNP found itself in a similar position in neighbouring councils - Edinburgh and South Lanarkshire - as the largest party but unable to form an administration. In other areas the SNP has taken its place on committees.
He added that in 2007 Labour had been the largest party but was locked out of power as the SNP formed an administration with other political groups. At that point the Labour councillors stepped up for roles on Licensing Board, he said.
He said the Licensing Board carried out a vital role “critical to health, hygiene and well being of the general public, licence holders and their staff, and also in terms of public safety.”
“It's not good for you, and it's not good for the people who voted for you,” he added.
Conservative Alison Adamson said it was disappointing that the group had chosen to make political points by refusing to take up seats and branded it “childish .”
Bathgate veteran SNP member, Willie Boyle said it was “deplorable” the way the party had been under-represented on committees. He added he could not support: "a Unionist coalition which clearly in any way shape or form does not recognise the representation that has been put in the SNP hands. It is deplorable for this administration to completely, to the best of their ability, remove the SNP representation from any meaningful place within this administration.”
Colleague Andrew Miller said: “The democratic deficit was clearly demonstrated earlier in the meeting when the group of 15 was offered a single place in one of more important committees of this council.”
Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan scoffed at suggestions of a Unionist coalition and suggested that the SNP behaviour was “throwing toys out of the pram.” She added that SNP councillors were “failing in their duties and failing their constituents and local businesses” by not taking up committee places.
SNP Councillor Diane Calder said she and colleagues stood ready to serve the people of West Lothian and branded Labour's remarks and behaviour “patronising”.
Moira McKee Shemilt, SNP, said: “We will work for our constituents in areas we think relevant. Where we decide to withdraw we will withdraw.” She added that it was “entirely disappointing” to witness Labour councillors voting Conservatives onto committees, given austerity.
Labour veteran Councillor Tom Conn accused the SNP of “rank hypocrisy”. He pointed to the party’s voting in of a Tory provost to its 2007- 2012 administration.
“The history is, it's okay for the SNP to do things. It's a ‘do as we say not do as we do,’ and that is rank hypocrisy. Until you remember the hypocrisy that you are perpetuating in West Lothian you are better to stay silent and better not to be on committees.”
The new members of the Licensing Board are Labour's George Paul and Tony Pearson (chair), Conservatives Damian Doran-Timson and Alison Adamson, and Stuart Borrowman.
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