Montrose Events is facing an uncertain future after its chairman said the row over a council bill looks likely to be the catalyst for his departure from the role.
The community group organises the town’s Christmas Extravaganza and is split over a £400 road closure bill it received from the authority for the event.
Group secretary Tommy Stewart has already torn up the demand, refusing to pay a charge he said was more than double the 2010 amount. Mr Stewart described it as ”astronomical”.
But Montrose Events chairman Councillor Mark Salmond has distanced himself from claims the increase had been a surprise.
Rejecting a claim by a fellow town councillor that he had been ”disingenuous” over the issue, Mr Salmond said he now believed his corporate responsibility as an elected member was proving a barrier to carrying out the Montrose Events role effectively, and he is considering his future in the post.
Montrose SNP member Paul Valentine said he was puzzled that the bill, relating to a road closure administration fee, had been so heavily criticised by the group when it had been part of a 2011/12 budget presented by then corporate services convener Mr Salmond.
”For Mr Stewart to say that Montrose Events had no knowledge of this when their chairperson was the corporate services convener whose budget contained this change is, I feel, a little bit disingenuous,” said Mr Valentine.
The new road closure admin charges were adopted as part of the council’s infrastructure services department proposals for the 2011 budget, aimed at generating an extra £9,000 per year for the authority.
Mr Salmond said: ”I’m not disputing the charge and I have told the committee that my view is we have to pay the bill. Some of my colleagues on the group feel that the bill is excessive, but I have explained the situation to them and how the figure was arrived at and I think it has to be paid.
”I also agree that the budget process formalised the policy which is now being used to calculate bills such as this one.”
He added that he had also introduced a special fund in last year’s budget which will help Angus organisations meet the costs of staging community events.
Mr Salmond continued: ”Mr Stewart is not speaking for me as chairman of Montrose Events. As a responsible councillor I dissociate myself from the comments made but I know Mr Stewart feels very strongly about this sum of money.
”This situation is causing me a significant conflict, and although I have yet to fully make up my mind I would say that I may have to consider my position as chairman of Montrose Events.”
He added: ”Montrose Events is a very successful group and is involved in other things beyond just the successful Christmas Extravaganza, but it may be coming to the stage where it is inappropriate for me to be chairing this body and to step down and let someone else take the role.
”My corporate responsibility has to come first. I cannot keep leaving the council chamber all the time when matters relating to Montrose Events arise.
”Conflicts have arisen over the past year or two and I do not believe this is the best way forward for the community. I think there are plenty others in the community who I would hope will be willing to take up the chairman’s role if I were to step aside.”