Angus education committee to meet for first time since Lady Whistledown affair claimed convener’s scalp

Angus Council’s embattled education committee will re-convene this week for the first time since the Twitter troll scandal which brought its disgraced convener down.

The children and learning committee is to meet remotely on Thursday – minus Arbroath Tory member Derek Wann.

He was the coalition administration chair of the committee but fell on his sword after being unmasked as the figure behind a vitriolic social media account named after a character in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton.

The Arbroath East and Lunan figure used the (Lady Whistledown) AngusFreeofSNP Twitter profile as an anonymous front to direct abuse towards fellow councillors and national politicians.

He also challenged local figures through it and mocked Dundee’s record of drug death tragedy.

Nominations

The coalition group will now be nominating Montrose Conservative councillor Ron Sturrock, the committee’s current vice-convener, to take the lead role.

Forfar Independent councillor Colin Brown is the ruling group’s candidate for the vice-convenership.

Authority leader David Fairweather confirmed the planned changes, saying the nominations would be made at the next meeting of the full Angus Council.

It is not scheduled until September 9, with Mr Sturrock expected to convene the meeting later this week.

Mr Wann’s conduct triggered the prospect of opposition members calling an emergency meeting of the authority during the recess after they demanded his resignation from the convenership and committee.

A special meeting was averted after one-time General Election candidate Mr Wann stood down.

Second scandal

The Independent/Conservative ruling group’s power grip was further weakened by the coalition departure of Forfar Tory Braden Davy after he was also caught up in another social media scandal.

Mr Davy admitted being involved in creating an anonymous Facebook profile encouraging tactical voting for his Scottish election campaign in May.

He could face police action over his conduct if found to have broken election rules.

Mr Davy was the council’s economic development spokesman and gave up that role.

His coalition exit leaves the authority split 14-14 and could pile further pressure on the ruling alliance in the closing months of the current administration.

It was already under attack over the re-admission of shamed Arbroath West and Letham councillor Richard Moore to the ruling group he previously left after a standards hearing found him guilty of inappropriate behaviour towards four women.

Mr Moore was brought back into the fold following the departure of Arbroath Independent Lois Speed and Monifieth and Sidlaws Liberal Democrat Ben Lawrie amidst claims of an “unhealthy culture” within the senior political leadership.