An Aberdeenshire Alliance coalition between Conservative, Liberal Democrat and independent councillors is on the brink of taking control of the local authority.
Senior councillors met at Woodhill House yesterday after an induction meeting for all new members.
No party put forward enough candidates for last week’s local election to win an overall majority and a coalition administration was the most likely outcome.
The Conservatives won the most seats and have 23 councillors. The SNP fell to 21 and the Liberals picked up two for a total of 14 members.
A deal between the Tories and Liberal Democrats would give a coalition 37 votes in the chamber at Woodhill House – a majority of the 70 seats.
However Conservative council leader Jim Gifford fell foul of a narrow majority two years ago when his deputy Martin Kitts-Hayes changed allegiances and joined an SNP administration.
It is understood Mr Gifford and his Liberal Democrat counterpart Peter Argyle are courting several independent votes to give themselves a more comfortable majority.
The three groups were in coalition as the Aberdeenshire Alliance until the SNP coup in 2015.
Last night Mr Gifford said: “We think we have a way forward with the three groups and look forward to those things being discussed in the next few days ahead of full council next week.”
Mr Argyle, chosen by the Lib Dems to replace outgoing leader Karen Clark on Saturday, said: “The Liberal Democrats are in discussions with the Conservative group and a number of independents over the future shape of Aberdeenshire Council.
“The groups have agreed there will be no further comment until the council meeting on May 18.”
They were joined in yesterday’s negotiations by influential independent councillor Norman Smith. Mr Smith was the co-ordinator of the Aligned Independent group in the last council.
He added: “We’re having discussions. We’ll meet up and tidy up the details over the next few days, We’ve got a few new independents.”
The first meeting of the new council will be held at Woodhill House on Thursday, May 18. The first order of business will be to elect a provost to preside over the council business and then the leadership of the authority will be agreed.
The Alliance is expected to hold a press conference immediately after the meeting.
