An Angus SNP representative has claimed there is only one true independent councillor in the county, as a row over a saltire escalated.
Montrose councillor Paul Valentine said only Arbroath councillor Bob Spink could call himself a “proven independent”. The comments by Mr Valentine were part of a stinging attack aimed at fellow Montrose representative Mark Salmond of the Angus Alliance.
The war of words has been rumbling on since last week, stemming from an Angus Council decision not to fly a Scottish flag at Montrose beach. Mr Salmond expressed shock at Mr Valentine’s latest broadside, calling it an “uncalled for personal attack.”
Both councillors have been involved in a public back and forth since last week, with Mr Valentine now opting to launch into a wide-ranging tirade against his adversary.
He said, “To be a truly independent councillor one must be free from outside control or influence and not connected with others. However, since Councillor Salmond joined the Alliance cabal in 2007 the most politically motivated group Angus Council has ever seen there is only one independent thing he has achieved and this is in failing to attend a number of meetings, including the meeting regarding the future of post office service in Ferryden and some of which he is convener.”
The post office service in Ferryden now looks set to be run from the church hall after a successful campaign to re-establish an outlet after the local branch closure.
Mr Valentine said he accepts that Mr Salmond was involved in the bid but accused him of “misleading the public” by implying it was “his intervention only” that brought about the move.CreditHe added, “Similarly, Councillor May, who had agreed that councillors would not make a press statement, has moved to take the credit for this in a media outlet. Seeing Councillor Salmond pictured standing in front of the saltire at Montrose beach will irk with a great deal of people throughout the town and around Angus.
“This is after all the same Councillor Salmond who has never before shown any interest in Scotland’s flag and on September 11, 2007, voted with his Angus Alliance colleagues not as an independent as he suggests to take down the saltire at council-owned flagpoles.
“This is the same Councillor Salmond as convenor of corporate services the department which controls the council’s purse strings who found money to pay for his heraldic flag to replace the saltire.”
But Mr Salmond said comments he made about the saltire being Scotland’s flag and not the SNP’s must have hit a raw nerve in the Angus SNP hierarchy.Stunt”It saddens me greatly that what started out by me helping solve an issue for a member of the Montrose business community has now descended into this political stunt by Councillor Valentine and his SNP cohorts.”
He added that he had commented on the Ferryden developments because a national press release had already been issued by Post Office Ltd.
He said, “As for my non-attendance at the meeting which was called at short notice, I could not be there because I was representing Angus Council at an event with Councillor Valentine’s leader Councillor Helen Oswald and ex-SNP leader Councillor Rob Murray.
“This event had been in my diary for many months and I had contacted Ferryden Community Council and Post Office Ltd to offer my apologies for my absence.”
And Mr Salmond confirmed that he is not a member of any political party and that he continues to represent the residents of Montrose as an independent.
Councillor David May could not be reached for comment as he is out of the country.