A sword of Damocles has been left hanging over the head of Angus Provost Helen Oswald in the aftermath of the Twittergate row.
With opposition councillors seeming set to draw a line under the spat which blew up following Montrose member Bill Duff’s Twitter suggestion those voting No on September 18 were happy to be second-class Scots, a leading opposition councillor has said he believes the row has “gone far enough”.
Arbroath independent councillor David Fairweather and former Angus Alliance leader Bob Myles led the move to call the special meeting to debate a motion condemning Mr Duff’s comment.
When Mrs Oswald ruled the motion not competent, the pair said they would gather the seven signatures needed to force another special meeting with the district’s civic figurehead as the subject of a no confidence debate.
Mr Fairweather said last night the required signatories were available, but as it appeared the opposition is set to stop short of keeping the matter going the Arbroath councillor revealed he has drafted a motion that is being kept on the back burner that would seek make major changes to the key role.
“We can have the signatures required to bring forward a motion of no confidence in the provost and we will be meeting this week, but we feel like we have gone far enough with this,” said Mr Fairweather.
“I believe we were absolutely right in bringing that motion to full council, and I believe that the provost was wrong to deny us the right to debate it, and failed to take the legal advice of our own officers because she simply listened to her own SNP members she didn’t take others into consideration.”
Mr Fairweather has drawn up a motion of the type that could still come forward if the opposition decide not to let the matter rest.
It includes a motion of no confidence in Mrs Oswald and calls for her removal from the post.
Mr Fairweather’s proposed motion also calls for an oath to be instigated whereby the provost will “uphold the democratic right of a member when they wish to speak and bring forward a motion where due notice has been given and that motion deemed competent by a council solicitor.”
He added: “It is unfortunate that when a motion is brought forward having been properly presented and cleared it is then dismissed that is not how democracy works.
“My own view is that we need to move on, but we will meet this week and make up our minds.
“I think we have got our point across, and if the SNP do not take on board our concerns then this is the type of motion which could go forward at any time in the future,” he said.