A SCOTTISH Tory council leader has stepped down “temporarily” amid a police probe into a secret recording that saw him offer jobs for “pals” and brand local authority staff “f****** useless”.
Martin Dowey, the leader of South Ayrshire Council and husband of Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey, has stepped back from his role amid the ongoing investigation sparked by a story in the Sunday Mail.
In the recording, taken at council offices in 2023, Dowey is also reported to have told a businessman he could help him win a multi-million-pound deal to demolish the fire-damaged Station Hotel in Ayr.
Dowey insisted that as a former police officer he knew “the law and I respect it at all times” – claiming he had “reported the approach from this individual to the police and the local authority myself long ago because I suspected something was not right”.
On Monday evening however, he went a step further, saying: "I have decided to step aside temporarily as leader to prevent this becoming a distraction from important local issues.
"I would welcome a further detailed investigation to fully clear this up."
At a meeting of the council cabinet chaired by depute leader Bob Pollock on Tuesday morning, South Ayrshire chief executive Mike Newall made a statement which has been read as a swipe at Dowey.
While not mentioning Dowey or his comments directly, Newall made it clear his words were a result of the Conservative councillor’s attack.
He said: “I’d just like to take this opportunity as chief executive to thank all council employees for all their hard work in delivering essential council services.
“I know that the corporate leadership team respect and appreciate their endeavours and values their contribution towards making a difference every day in South Ayrshire.
“Any suggestion to the contrary is wholly unfounded.
“I am sure that every member of the cabinet would fully endorse this.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are in receipt of correspondence and it is currently being assessed.”
A spokesperson for South Ayrshire Council added: “We note that this matter is with Police Scotland, and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”
