Secrecy surrounds the status of Angus Council’s deputy leader after his apparent exit from the authority’s minority SNP administration.
Kirriemuir and Dean councillor George Meechan remained tight-lipped after sitting among opposition members at a meeting of the full council on Thursday.
He said he had no comment to make when asked if he had left the ruling group.
Council leader Bill Duff has also so far declined to comment.
At this stage it is not known whether Mr Meechan left the administration by choice or was pushed out.
But it further weakens the SNP grip on the Angus chamber after months of turmoil within the ruling ranks.
Mr Meechan is convener of Angus Licensing Board and the authority’s civic licensing committee.
He is also vice-convener of the policy and resources committee.
Under new remuneration arrangements, his salary as depute leader was due to rise by £5,500 to £37,548 on April 1.
Period of turmoil in Angus SNP administration
His departure is the latest in a series of changes which began with the controversy that cost former Provost Brian Boyd his position last summer.
The Carnoustie Independent stepped down last June after reducing a colleague to tears in a town hall dressing-down.
He apologised to Arbroath councillor Lois Speed for going “over the score”.
It led to Mr Boyd leaving the administration two years after the Independent agreed a deal that brought him the civic role after helping the SNP return to power.
In July, administration leader Beth Whiteside resigned from the top role for “personal reasons”.
The Monifieth and Sidlaw member, now the convener of the council’s new housing committee, was succeeded by Bill Duff.
And last September, Arbroath councillor Serena Cowdy quit the ruling group.
It reduced the SNP to a minority administration in the 28-member council.
Ms Cowdy said she was in a “different place” from the party on a number of issues.
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