LABOUR councillors in Stirling are facing a vote of no-confidence next week after the SNP claimed the administration has left the local authority in “financial chaos”.
SNP councillors have called a special meeting next week to table a motion of no-confidence in the Labour administration’s financial management of the local authority - which the SNP has claimed has reached a “tipping point”.
Labour councillors have been accused of “wasting millions” on projects, including shelving plans for £30 million worth of new and refurbished offices and a £10m National Tartan Centre.
Stirling Council’s agreement to spend £870,000 to rebuild the historic 117-year-old clock tower, which was demolished in a failed conservation effort, was also highlighted by the SNP as another “high-profile example of Labour's failure”.
SNP councillors have claimed that behind the scenes at the local authority, “financial chaos is rife”, including a multi-million-pound management system that has failed to accrue thousands of invoices.
The group claimed that Labour had failed politically at the “most basic of financial housekeeping”.
SNP Group Leader Susan McGill added: “Labour’s long, slow political decline is costing Stirling dearly. We are at a tipping point when something MUST be done.”
Meanwhile, SNP Finance Spokesperson Councillor Gerry McLaughlan said: “Political failure and financial chaos are rife under Stirling Labour.
“Change is desperately needed and our no-confidence motion seeks to stop the rot. Stirling's communities deserve better.”
Labour hold a minority administration at Stirling Council and are backed by the Tories.
They took control of the local authority in May 2022, with Labour’s then group leader Chris Kane, who is now the MP for Stirling and Strathallan, saying at the time there was no option but to try and find common ground in a bid to break a stalemate.
Responding to the SNP's meeting next week, Labour councillor Gerry McGarvey said: “I welcome the recent commitment by Stirling Council’s SNP’s Group to working alongside the Labour Minority Administration after a three-year period of non-engagement. So, I find it somewhat disappointing and peculiar that Stirling’s SNP Group is choosing to question the integrity of the Labour Minority Administration at this time, when it is now working alongside that Administration, which been working tirelessly to improve the quality of life and opportunities for our residents in the City and throughout the Council area despite the SNP’s previous non-cooperation.
“From East to West and North to South throughout the area of our shared responsibilities our transformational Thriving Communities policy agenda is making significant inroads in our housing programme, our commitment to the improvement of Health and Social Care, our nurturing of young people in Education as well as our groundbreaking partnership working in addressing our rural transport issues, and much more besides.
“I wish to reassure your readers that despite the politicised opportunism and political mischief-making of the SNP Opposition, the Labour Minority Administration of Stirling Council continues to work hard and effectively in providing the best services it can given our limited resources, and continues to deliver for all our communities, but I repeat, I welcome the SNP joining in this essential work, the work to which all of us were elected to carry-out.”
