| But a suggestion by the Nationalists that it would reach out to the other parties if — as expected — it takes power next week was given only a non-committal response by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
SNP group leader Ken Guild had said his party would seek the major committee convenerships when a special meeting of the council is held on Monday. But he added that other roles would be offered to other parties.
He did not go into any more detail about what that might mean, but it did raise the prospect of some kind of fresh cross-party arrangement in the City Chambers.
That would fit in with what two key players in the drama — Lord Provost John Letford and his deputy Ian Borthwick — have been calling for in recent days.
Tory group leader Rod Wallace said he had spoken informally to Mr Guild yesterday, but there had been no formal discussions between the groups about this proposal. However, he explained he would be willing to hear more about what the SNP intend and to that end he would be seeking a formal meeting with Mr Guild before the end of the week.
Mr Wallace said the SNP seemed to be indicating they viewed the council’s two quasi-judicial committees — development quality and licensing — as being different to the “political” ones.
It would clearly be useful to the SNP should they be able to come to some sort of arrangement with Mr Wallace and his two colleagues.
At present they hold 14 of the 29 seats on the council and, with Mr Letford ditching Labour to sit as an independent, they can count on his vote too.
That would leave the Nationalists with a small majority, so even some kind of informal support from the Tories would tilt the arithmetic in the council chamber firmly in their favour.
Labour group leader Kevin Keenan said he had not been approached by Mr Guild about the idea of other parties having a role in the new council set-up.
Liberal Democrat leader Fraser Macpherson also said there had been “absolutely no contact” with his group from the SNP either.
Mr Keenan said it appeared from Mr Guild’s comment that the SNP may be coming around to what he termed “Mr Borthwick’s one-size-fits-all council” concept.
He queried why that was coming about “when power is so close to being in their hands” and wondered if the SNP were worried about the possibility of their efforts “falling apart on them”.
He went on, “It looks to me like they are seriously starting to flap. They need John to hold true to his decision.”
Mr Keenan said he would “wait with interest” for any formal invitation for discussions from the SNP.
Asked if Mr Guild’s suggestion was something the Lib Dems might consider, Mr Macpherson insisted once again — as he had yesterday — that the Lib Dems would not take part in “any meetings in smoke-filled rooms.” |
