Shenanigans at City Chambers – that’s politics - Steve Cardownie

Councillor Max Mitchell

The new role of vice-convener of the Development Management Sub-Committee, attracting a Special Responsibility Allowance of £6000 a year was given the go ahead at last Thursday’s full council meeting.

The new incumbent of the post? Step forward,Conservative Councillor, Max Mitchell. This has generated the predictable response from opposition councillors with Alys Mumford of the Greens and Simita Kumar of the SNP particularly vocal in their condemnation of the decision.

Accusations such as “an outrageous misuse of public funds” and “It is clear that Labour councillors will do any deal with the Tories, no matter how grubby, to cling onto administration” were only to be expected but are they justified?

To try toavoid the charge that Labour is in a coalition with the Tories the new post was created and offered to them, as this position is not governed by the group whip and leaves it up to the postholder to vote as he chooses.

This, then, means that the Labour Group can assert that Cllr Mitchell is not part of the administration as he is free to “plough his own furrow” and cannot be instructed how to vote by a political group - his own included.

However, this will do little to appease opposition councillors who see it as a piece of political manoeuvring solely designed to further ensure that the Tory group does nothing to destabilise the Labour administration.

This is not new and I daresay that had the shoe been on the other foot, the Green and SNP groups might countenance such a move if it prolonged their grip on power. If not, more fool them.

Labour is in the driving seat (for now) in the City Chambers, a position they are hardly likely to relinquish if they can help it, so such moves might be required to keep them in power.

It is more commonplace than you might think – it’s called politics!