City Chambers was rocked last night by a row over behind-closed-doors meetings to discuss the future of the council.
The SNP administration accused their opponents of a “cynical dereliction of duty” by refusing to attend the Changing for the Future Board.
In response, the Labour group refused to vote on the proposal criticising them and the three Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Independent councillors walked out of the meeting.
Ironically, at the heart of the dispute was a group which was created, in the words of council chief executive David Dorward, to bring “more consensus and cooperation between all elected members” in an attempt to deal with budget pressures.
The board meets in private, without access for the press or public, and although several opposition members are entitled to take part they have decided not to do so.
Last night Mr Dorward presented a report on the board’s work, stating that it was intended to be a forum for changing the culture of the council and the services it provides.
SNP administration leader Ken Guild said: “We have made every effort to get opposition councillors to attend. This is not a secret meeting. It’s a totally new way of working.”
Labour councillor Richard McCready proposed that the board should be turned into a sub-committee of the policy and resources committee, ending its private nature.
He rejected the chief executive’s contention that the board was not a decision-making body and claimed that reports that came from it to committee were treated as if they were unchangeable.
Mr McCready’s proposal was rejected by 16 votes to 12.
SNP councillor Jimmy Black then proposed an amendment commending the board for allowing councillors to hold discussions in a constructive manner and a non-confrontational environment.
His written statement added: “…and regards the position taken by opposition members who decline to attend the Changing for the Future Board as a cynical dereliction of duty.”
The debate which followed was anything but non-confrontational.
As Mr Black was beginning to speak, Liberal Democrat Fraser Macpherson, Conservative Derek Scott and Independent Ian Borthwick all of whom are non-attending members of the board left the council chamber.
With only SNP and Labour members left, Mr Black said: “I think by not attending you open yourselves to the accusation that you are taking the pay and not doing at least part of the work.”
Labour group leader Kevin Keenan then accused the administration of dereliction of duty in relation to the closure of the Kemback Street centre for disabled adults and the proposed 5% cuts to be imposed on external bodies providing social services to the council.
His colleague Helen Wright added: “Is this a slagging off of the opposition committee?” She then also left the chamber.
For the SNP, Stewart Hunter picked up on a comment by Mr McCready about the board being a “secretive sham”.
He said the board did not meet in secret and added: “I am sick and tired of being phoned up by the press to rebut lies pure and simple lies about the way we run this council.”
For procedural reasons no vote on Mr Black’s proposal was required and it was formally adopted. The Labour group leader said that it would have been 16 to zero as his party would not vote anyway.
After the meeting Mr Macpherson said: “This sort of politically motivated and destructive type of amendment is hugely counter-productive and simply gives local politics a bad name.”