A north-east councillor has accused a committee chairman of abusing his position after a controversial vote.
Members of the Banff and Buchan area committee recently agreed to a suggestion to temporarily relocate their meetings from Fraserburgh’s historic Saltoun Square council chambers to the town’s new leisure centre.
Committee chairman, John Cox, agreed to the vote after Fraserburgh councillors Michael Watt raised concerns about the cramped conditions at the current meeting room.
The committee, which alternates monthly between Fraserburgh and Banff, will gather at the leisure centre for six months as a trial.
However, Ian Tait, who represents Fraserburgh, has questioned Mr Cox’s decision to take the vote at such short notice.
He said: “I am deeply unhappy at how this was done and I believe that Mr Cox has not executed his powers as chairman properly.
“After lunch, Councillor Watt asked the chair to take an item on the agenda so that he could propose that the committee should stop meeting in Fraserburgh council chambers for six months.
“I maintain this was not a matter of urgency. The next meeting of the council would be in Banff on February 18 and then the next in Fraserburgh on March 11.
“There would have been more than enough time to discuss this matter in March.
“I had to leave after lunch, as did Councillor Brian Topping so two of the four Fraserburgh members were not present for the decision.”
Mr Cox insisted other committee members had agreed the vote should be taken because of health and safety concerns.
He said: “There was significant concern on the day due to the number of people present for the meeting with only one toilet in the building and members of the public having to sit on the floor.
“It was deemed acceptable by committee members, the monitoring officer and the area manager to take the vote.
“I would ask Councillor Tait to respect the view of his committee colleagues rather than having a go at myself.”