New Provost and council leader elected to Falkirk Council

No deal has been reached to take control of Falkirk Council, with the SNP now set to run a minority administration.

SNP group leader Cecil Meiklejohn has been returned as the leader of Falkirk Council while Labour’s Robert Bissett has been elected as the new Provost.

With no formal coalition arranged between any of the parties ahead of the meeting, voting between the different groups was so tight that it required cutting a deck of playing cards for the appointment one position. The SNP are the largest single party, with 12 councillors out of 30.

The meeting promised a greater spirit of co-operation for Falkirk Council, which was strongly criticised in a report by the Accounts Commission earlier this year.

SNP group leader Cecil Meiklejohn has been returned as the leader of Falkirk Council.

Both SNP leader Cllr Meiklejohn and the new Labour group leader Anne Hannah pledged to look for common ground and that spirit of co-operation was evident as the first appointment was made, with Labour councillor Robert Bissett elected as Provost of Falkirk. Provost Bissett was elected with the support of the SNP group, comfortably seeing off a challenge from Conservative James Kerr, who got five votes.

In the election for leader, Cllr Meiklejohn did not get any votes from any other political party – crucially, however, the nine-strong Labour group abstained, as did all four Independents.

The role of Depute Provost will be taken by SNP councillor David Balfour, although this was more closely contested with Labour putting up their own candidate.

As they have formed the administration, the SNP will take convenership of the powerful Executive and the Education, Children and Young People executive.

Voting was tight for the position of depute convener of Planning, which at the end of three rounds of voting was tied at 15 each for Gary Bouse and new Labour councillor Alf Kelly. In the end, a pack of pristine playing cards was produced and CllrKelly chose a 10, winning him the position.

While SNP and Labour groups did not vote together, neither chose to support the Conservatives who failed at every turn to have a member elected to a position.

Speaking after the meeting, the newly elected Conservative councillor for Falkirk North, James Bundy, claimed that Labour were “propping up the SNP’s failing administration”.

The leader of the council, Cecil Meiklejohn, said: “It is up to all Councillors to make the effort in terms of collaboration. Our communities didn’t vote for more of the same, they want to see the Council work together to make a difference.

“The SNP have been clear that we are ready to work for the benefit of our communities and we believe wholeheartedly that is a principle all councillors, of every party and none, should aspire to.”