Fife Labour and SNP at loggerheads over question time for leader’s report

The SNP has made claim of undemocratic leadership and an avoidance of scrutiny from the current Labour administration which the Labour administration branded “nonsense.”

The row stemmed from the last full council meeting in September when council leader David Ross (Labour) presented a longer than usual report which detailed a wide range of topics. It is usually followed by 30 minutes of questions to give councillors to scrutinise any issues. So many councillors were lodged that Provost Jim Leishman extended the time for questions by 20 minutes.

Councillor Ross answered more than 20, but 16 other councillors were left in the queue with unanswered questions.

“I’m happy to go on however long you determine is appropriate,” Cllr Ross told the meeting. “For those members who don’t get their questions answered, I’m absolutely happy to pick up afterwards with them.” However, the Provost decided to push ahead with the agenda.

Councillor John Beare (SNP for Glenrothes North, Leslie and Markinch) expressed his frustration and put forward a motion to suspend standing orders regarding time limits and allow all questions to be answered during the public meeting. His motion was defeated 38-33 in a vote.

After the meeting, the SNP group said it wrote to the Provost requesting a special meeting to allow the questions to be dealt with in public, which they said was turned down.

"The concerns expressed previously about the ability of a minority party of only 20 councillors to effectively run Fife Council will no doubt be heightened now that it appears the administration is keen to avoid legitimate scrutiny amidst growing crises of their making,” the SNP group claimed.

A statement from Councillor David Alexander, leader of the SNP, and Cllr Beare on Friday accused the Labour administration of being “democracy deniers” who are “afraid to be put under scrutiny.” The claims have since been dismissed as “complete nonsense” by Cllr Ross.

“I suspect they are trying to divert attention away from their disastrous defeat in the recent Rutherglen by-election,” he fired back. “I believe there were another 16 councillors who indicated they wanted to ask questions. As I noted at the meeting, many of the items that were being raised with me will be discussed at future committees, so councillors will have plenty of opportunity to ask questions on them.

"I also offered to respond to any councillors wishing to contact me to ask their questions, but so far I have only received three such enquiries, all of which I have answered.”