Pressure is mounting on the Scottish Government to abandon plans for boundary changes that would tear communities such as Broughty Ferry in two.
The Courier can reveal that the leader of Dundee City Council, Ken Guild, has called on ministers to reject proposals for reform in Dundee.
He has written to Minister for Local Government Marco Biaggi MSP to state his position, which is at odds with his previous support for change.
Mr Guild’s apparent U-turn comes after the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) expressed its deep concern about plans for change across the country.
Cosla said: “We have a very strong unanimous position against the changes being proposed by the Boundary Commission. Cosla is of the view that the Boundary Commission proposals have a fatal flaw at their heart in that basically they do not deliver what they said they would.”
One of the key drivers behind the boundary proposals has been an effort to address deprivation, but it is thought Cosla is unconvinced about the impact the current plans would have.
In the wake of that opposition, Mr Guild said: “I have not changed my stance.
“I have been looking at this from a ward point of view, a city point of view and a national point of view and I do not think this decision is inconsistent with my previously expressed views.
“The boundary changes were put forward with a certain rationale, but a lot has happened at a national level since then that casts doubt on whether change at this time will have the desired effect upon areas of multiple deprivation.
“Cosla and Solace (the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) have cast serious doubt on this matter.
“I have passed my thoughts to Marco Biaggi saying that I do not think the case has been proved for the review as a whole and that we should not go ahead until further justification is forthcoming from the Boundary Commission.
“It is for the Boundary Commission to justify its rationale and it appears that the general consensus nationwide is that they have not done that.”
Recommendations from the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland are expected to be submitted to the Scottish Government in May, with a decision taken after the election.
A spokeswoman for the body said: “Since the consultation closed last October the commission has been considering all responses received and has been working to produce its final recommendations for each council area in Scotland.
“We expect to submit our final recommendations to Scottish ministers by the end of May.”