The gap left by the shock resignation of Angus Council’s vice-convener of education over the Arbroath schools row has been plugged by a former ruling party colleague.
As the full council gave its overwhelming support to the plan which will see new schools created on the Timmergreens and Warddykes sites in the town, Forfar member Lynne Devine stepped into the role vacated by ex-party colleague Ewan Smith.
Mr Smith left the administration on the point of principle he fought over the best way forward in addressing improvement of the Arbroath school estate.
His decision deprived the SNP of its overall majority on the council, leading to speculation that the administration’s grip on key committee positions could be under threat.
However, a clear vote of 20-8 saw Forfar councillor Ms Devine elected to the vice-convener’s post in favour of former Angus Alliance education vice-convener Margaret Thomson.
Mr Smith said: “I realise this is a big shake-up, but I have no regrets over my decision. I would also want this council to move forward as a council of 29 members working together.
“I will support, I will scrutinise and I will sometimes question but I will not throw my toys out of the pram we have to move forward as a council.”
Mr Smith’s resignation had also threatened to present the council with some difficulties in filling vacant committee slots under the terms of the authority’s standing orders in relation to political and geographical balance, but that situation was avoided after what council leader Iain Gaul described as an “outbreak of common sense”.
He agreed to a motion by Arbroath independent David Fairweather to relax the standing orders in respect of what are known as quasi-judicial committees of the council including the development standards group which determines planning applications.
Mr Fairweather will now become a member of both that committee and education.
Other changes include the addition of Kirriemuir councillor Ronnie Proctor to the ranks of the infrastructure services committee in place of Councillor Devine.
Mr Gaul rejected earlier claims that the Team Angus mantra was not working after critics said Mr Smith’s resignation was an opportunity to place a non-administration member into a vice-convener’s role.
“Team Angus is surviving and getting stronger,” Mr Gaul said.
“If you want evidence of that then Councillor Spink, an independent, is the convener of the strongest committee of this council, scrutiny and audit that is Angus Council’s police force that holds this council to account.”