THE SNP have taken over control of Dumfries and Galloway council after the Tory leader quit before a no-confidence vote.
Councillors attended a special full meeting of the council in Dumfries on Monday and were due to vote on the leadership of Tory councillor Gail MacGregor, who has led the council since 2023.
SNP members on the local authority had called the vote of no confidence on June 3 in a bid to remove the Tory leadership. They were supported by councillors from Scottish Labour, Democratic Alliance and one independent.
MacGregor announced her intention to stand down in a note to officials on Monday morning ahead of the crunch vote.
The SNP’s slate to take over the administration passed with 16 votes in favour of the motion after winning the backing of five independents.
SNP group leader Stephen Thompson is now the council leader and deputy convener of the local authority, with Katie Hagmann serving as convener and deputy leader.
All 11 SNP councillors have senior positions on the local authority's various committees following the vote.
A bid to install former Tory councillor, now independent, Ian Carruthers as leader with SNP councillor Thompson as deputy, failed after only gathering 10 votes.
A total of 16 councillors abstained, most of the remaining Tory councillors and eight Labour councillors.
Writing on Facebook, Dumfries and Galloway SNP councillors group confirmed they had taken over the administration.
"Tories out: Following a special meeting, the SNP have successfully won a vote to run Dumfries and Galloway Council and deliver on our progressive SNP budget and priorities," they said.
"We're committed to delivering for the people of our region."
Hagmann (below right) served as interim chair during the meeting while the vote took place.
"The previous Conservative leadership no longer commanded the confidence of the Council, and the time has come for change.
“Our focus will be on openness, accountability, and ensuring that every decision we make delivers real benefits for our communities, whether in our towns, villages, or rural areas.
"The SNP is committed to working constructively with all parties to address the challenges we face and to seize the opportunities ahead.”
He added that the party will prioritise local economic development, tackle the cost-of-living crisis, invest in public services, and strengthen the region’s voice within Scotland. “This administration will work differently," Thompson added.
"We will listen, we will act, and we will always put the needs of Dumfries and Galloway first. We call on all councillors, regardless of political affiliation, to join us in delivering progress for the people we are elected to serve.”
Thompson served as co-leader in 2022-23 in a "rainbow coalition" with Labour councillors, which had support from independents and LibDems.
The power-sharing agreement was dissolved after the Labour co-leader stood down, allowing the Tories to take over.
Hagmann said: “What our communities need most is a steady hand – one that ensures consistent delivery of quality education and social care, fosters a thriving local economy, addresses the pressures of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and improves vital infrastructure like our roads.
“Guided by the core values of our council, I’m committed to working alongside all elected members to protect our region’s future, support our residents, strengthen our communities and ensure we remain a council that listens and responds.
“Our administration will be built on cooperation – working constructively with all political groups to continue the implementation of our ambitious Council Plan.
“With eight years’ experience as a local councillor and drawing on my experience over the past three years as COSLA Resources Spokesperson, I’m ready to build consensus and find common ground to deliver real progress for the people of Dumfries and Galloway.”
SNP councillor Tracey Little will serve as Dumfries provost.
The crunch vote was called after seven Tory councillors quit the party on June 2 over a row over the direction of the administration, which was left with only nine members. The SNP became the largest group with 11 councillors.
Councillors Andrew Giusti, Chrissie Hill, David Inglis and Richard Marsh formed a new group called Novantae, which appears to be named after an Iron Age people who lived in southwestern Scotland and were recorded in Ptolemy's Geography.
Carruthers, Karen Carruthers and Andrew Wood formed a separate independent group.
In a note to council officials, MacGregor said with “the heaviest of hearts” she had decided to quit.
“It has been an absolute privilege to serve the people of Dumfries and Galloway as Leader of the Council for the past 26 months,” she said.
“During this time I have always tried to lead with a collaborative approach, and I will always do so for the good of the people we serve and the services we provide.”
