An Angus councillor is calling for an investigation into whether a council meeting which approved a contentious extension to Carnoustie golf centre was “valid”.
Carnoustie councillor Bill Bowles claimed it wasn’t “democratically right” that Angus Provost Helen Oswald chaired last Thursday’s council meeting as she is also a trustee on the Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee, which was seeking consent for the project.
He has asked the council’s legal team to investigate whether there was a conflict of interest and may raise the issue with the Standards Commission.
Mrs Oswald declared her role in the CGLMC at the start of the council meeting but added that she had no financial interest and that she was not a member of a golf club or a season ticket holder, so would remain for the debate.
During the meeting Mr Bowles tabled two amendments, both of which were ruled incompetent by the Provost after she took legal advice in private from the council’s head of law Sheona Hunter.
However, Mr Bowles has claimed that he had run the amendments past Mrs Hunter before the meeting and that she had ruled them competent.
He said: “The Provost saying they are incompetent is just her opinion. She should have removed herself. There was a definite conflict of interest.
“If it can be deemed that she has not acted properly and she shouldn’t have been there then she can’t chair the meeting. If she can’t chair the meeting then the meeting can’t stand.”
The Provost also ruled an amendment tabled by Brechin councillor Bob Myles, which asked for the matter to be deferred to see if there could be more agreement among golf clubs and businesses, as incompetent.
Mrs Oswald said she had made the council’s legal team aware of her involvement in CGLMC prior to the meeting.
CGLMC has two positions for councillors, one of which was filled by Mr Bowles until he resigned six weeks ago.
She said: “I did declare the interest and I ran this past legal before I declared it.
“When I took the amendments to Mrs Hunter during the meeting we discussed them and she said they might be competent, but they could also be not competent.
“One amendment asked for things which had already been done.
“There was another which suggested the CGLMC’s articles of association were being breached. That should be brought up with the company secretary, not the council.
“Mr Bowles is right that it’s all in my opinion. Somebody else might have had a different opinion.”
Mrs Oswald said she would welcome councillors running amendments past her before public meetings so she could highlight any parts she felt made them incompetent.
She added: “I’m very sorry it’s turned out like this. I agree that it would have better if there had been debate.
“I’m not precious about this. If the meeting is heard again, it’s heard again.
“In terms of council standing orders, I am satisfied the meeting was run properly.”
She added: “Whatever happens in relation to the golf course, it will always be contentious in Carnoustie. There will always be two sides.”
A spokesman for Angus Council said: “Councillor Bowles has raised certain matters with council officers and these are being looked into.”
