SEVEN Scottish Tory councillors have quit the party in a row over the administration's direction.
Dumfries and Galloway Council, which has been run by a Conservative administration since 2023, confirmed the move on Monday.
Four of the councillors who quit the Scottish Tories – Andrew Giusti, Chrissie Hill, David Inglis and Richard Marsh – have now gone on to form a new group called Novantae – the name of a tribe which lived in the area during the late second century.
First reported by ITV News Border, the group said the decision to quit the Tory Party was partly due to "vital decisions" in the region being made without "sufficient local input".
In a statement, Giusti said: "Our decision to leave the Conservative group is driven by a strong desire to pursue a political agenda that is truly reflective of the needs and aspirations of our local communities.
"We were elected to serve our communities, but increasingly we have found that vital decisions affecting our region are being made without sufficient local input.
"We believe that critical decisions impacting our residents are best made closer to home, with direct input from those they affect most."
Marsh added: "The lack of genuine support for the Galloway National Park – an opportunity that could potentially transform our economy, tourism and environment – is just one example of a broader failure to listen to the west of the region.
"This isn't about political point-scoring; it's about standing up for the people we were elected to represent."
The three other councillors, Ian Carruthers, Karen Carruthers and Andrew Wood, have formed a separate independent group.
It means that the council's Conservative group has shrunk from 16 to nine councillors, raising questions over the viability of the current administration.
The council now has 11 SNP members, nine Scottish Conservatives, eight Scottish Labour, one Scottish LibDem and 14 independent / other.
'The Tory group has collapsed'
The SNP group at Dumfries and Galloway Council has called for an "immediate vote" on the council's leadership, claiming the Scottish Conservatives have "collapsed" and they no longer hold a democratic mandate to remain in power without being challenged.
Councillor Stephen Thompson, leader of the SNP group, said: “The facts are simple; the Conservative Group has collapsed. They no longer have the same numbers, they no longer have the same mandate and they cannot credibly remain in administration as they are.
“The council continues to operate under an SNP budget, our vision, our priorities and our plan. It is only right that we challenge to lead on its delivery to put the people of Dumfries and Galloway first.”
A spokesperson for Dumfries and Galloway Council said: “Dumfries and Galloway Council can confirm that seven councillors have resigned from the Conservative group. The council’s website has been updated.
“Four of the councillors have formed a new political group called Novantae – councillors Richard Marsh, Chrissie Hill, Andrew Giusti and David Inglis.
“Three of the councillors have informed council officers that they have set up a separate group and they intend to call it The Dumfries and Galloway Independent Group. These are councillors Ian Carruthers, Karen Carruthers and Andrew Wood.
“The council will not be commenting further at this time."
A spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives said: “We wish them well.”
