Carnoustie councillor Bill Bowles is expected to be reported to the Standards Commission after he compared SNP councillors to octopuses because they were “spineless”.
Mr Bowles criticised several SNP councillors for failing to back his bid for a previous council decision relating to a golf centre extension at Carnoustie links to be reconsidered.
The 13 SNP councillors at Tuesday’s meeting voted against his motion which meant he was unable to achieve the two-thirds majority required for the item to be debated again.
In a late-night email Mr Bowles then told some of the SNP councillors that it “must be awful for you always having to toe the party line”.
Then added: “I was surprised that you could all still remain in your seats without sliding to the floor like octopi given how spineless you are all are.”
At least one SNP councillor forwarded the email, which was sent after 11pm from Mr Bowles’ council email account, to Angus Council’s chief executive Richard Stiff.
Mr Stiff subsequently contacted the independent Carnoustie councillor to give him the opportunity to retract his email and apologise to its recipients.
The council chief said the email fell below the standards of the councillors’ code of conduct, with an unacceptable use of language towards fellow elected members.
When Mr Bowles refused to apologise or retract the email, he was informed by Mr Stiff that he would be referred to the Standards Commission.
Mr Bowles said: “I sent the letter to five or six SNP members – the ones I think are not totally SNP through and through and may have some sense of fairness and equity in the proceedings.
“I got an email from Richard Stiff that if I didn’t apologise for the comment about octopi then I would be taken to the Standards Commission.
“I wrote back to him saying that I had no intention of retracting the words of the email and that I was happy for him to proceed as he sees fit.”
Another Angus councillor fell foul of the Standards Commission in March.
Forfar councillor Colin Brown was suspended for two months after he was reported for failing to declare an interest during discussions surrounding the sale of Angus Council offices at The Cross in Forfar to pub chain JD Wetherspoon.
Mr Brown has been referred to the Standards Commission again on a separate matter.
“Spineless” — the email sent by Mr Bowles
Good evening,
Thank you for attending today’s Special Meeting of Angus Council.
It must be awful for you always having to toe the party line whilst knowing that the issue before you is at least worthy of open and considered debate.
I was surprised that you could all still remain in your seats without sliding to the floor like octopi given how spineless you are all are.
I will continue to bring this matter to the table in the hope that some of you will stand up for yourselves and the people you represent and against those who bully you into submission and ridicule.
I live in hope.
Yours Aye
Bill
Councillor wins new vote
Angus councillors will vote again on whether to reconsider last month’s decision to grant landlord’s consent for a Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee loan.
Carnoustie councillor Bill Bowles has been successful at calling a second special meeting to vote on the issue.
The vote will be on the same terms as a meeting on Tuesday this week when the 26 councillors at the meeting were evenly split on the question. Mr Bowles required a two-thirds majority for his motion to succeed.
The new vote will take place on Thursday.
Angus Council owns Carnoustie links but charitable trust Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee manages the links.
Under the terms of their agreement, the local authority, as landlord, has to grant consent for CGLMC taking out loans of more than £200,000.
CGLMC is looking to borrow up to £2.95m for its golf centre project.
Last month the council granted consent after three amendments were ruled incompetent by Angus Provost Helen Oswald – but opposition councillors want the issue debated again.
When Mr Bowles submitted his latest request on Tuesday, he claims that he was warned by the council’s head of law and admin Sheona Hunter that his actions in repeatedly requesting special meetings could be grounds for an interdict.
Angus Council declined to comment on this claim.
A council spokesman said: “Consent has been issued to Carnoustie Golf Link Management Committee in line with the council’s decision.
“At Cllr Bowles’ request, a further special meeting of Angus Council has been called and will convene on Thursday June 16.
“It is not appropriate to provide further comment on these matters at this time.”
The consent has been welcomed by the CGLMC chair Pat Sawers.
She said: “We are pleased that finally the new golf centre development at Carnoustie can proceed, now we have the required legal permission from our landlord, Angus Council.
“We are excited at the prospect of bringing the infrastructure of the golf links to be on a par with other championship venues and are confident it will be well received and used by golfers, locals and visitors.
“We believe that with this ambitious and prestigious project – fully funded by ourselves and at no cost whatsoever to the taxpayers of Angus – we will secure The Open and other championship tournaments for the next 30 to 50 years.”
