Labour has retained its leadership of Stirling Council.
Gerry McGarvey, who has served as deputy leader since September, will take up the position, it was agreed on Thursday (February 6) at a special meeting of Stirling Council.
The decision was voted on by council members, with 12 Conservative and Labour councillors backing Mr McGarvey.
A total of 11, made up of SNP councillors, the Green Party’s Alasdair Tollemache, and independent member Alasdair MacPherson, voted against the appointment.
The SNP, which has nine Stirling councillors – the highest majority of any party within the council – had put forward Susan McGill as their choice for leader.
However, Forth and Endrick ward’s Mr McGarvey received the majority vote.
Labour-led council has 4 Labour members out of 23
The vote came after the SNP party accused Labour of having a secret coalition with the Conservatives.
During the meeting, it was also revealed that the SNP council members had tried unsuccessfully to enter into an alliance with the Labour members.
Mr McGarvey said these comments “showed the age of conspiracy is still alive and well”.
SNP victories at the past two by-elections – Willie Ferguson to Stirling East, and Bob Buchanan to Bannockburn – mean the party now has the largest number of councillors on Stirling Council.
Out of 23 elected members, there are nine SNP, eight Conservative, four Labour, one Green and one independent.
In light of this, the SNP maintains Labour should not be running the administration of Stirling Council.
Councillor Jim Thomson said: “It’s an absolute joke what you’re proposing.
“We accept you have the numbers to do this and we will have to reconsider even further what committees we wish to represent ourselves on because it is not representative of the people of Stirling what you are doing.”
Trossachs and Teith councillor Gene Maxwell dubbed Mr McGarvey’s appointment “a democratic travesty, a farce, an absolute joke”.
Claims of ‘vitriol and vicious’ comments from councillor
There was also outrage from the SNP over Stirling North Councillor Danny Gibson’s nomination for the position of bailie, as he was previously being suspended for bullying.
The party then refused to put forward its own candidate for the role.
At one point in the proceedings, Mr McGarvey highlighted “vitriol and vicious” comments made online.
This was said in reference to fellow councillor Gerry McLaughlan’s recent Facebook post that claimed the Conservatives had pledged to support Labour in return for the Lord Provost position.
The SNP not being represented on several council committees was also highlighted.
In response, Stirling North councillor Ms McGill claimed her party would be willing to join these committees if Labour and the Conservatives were “working in an open coalition”.
Why was a new leader required?
Former Stirling Council Labour leader Margaret Brisley died aged 79 in October.
Her death came just over a month after she started the role.
The councillor, who had represented the people of Bannockburn for 44 years, said at the time that she was “hugely honoured” to be appointed.
Ms Brisley replaced Chris Kane in September 2024.
He stepped down from the role two months after being elected as the new MP for Stirling and Strathallan.
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