Council leaders have united to heap pressure on disgraced former depute provost Alan Donnelly to resign.
Torry and Ferryhill member Alan Donnelly was last week convicted of sexually assaulting a man at a function in Aberdeen.
The 65-year-old has already resigned from the Conservative party, and opposition leaders have reported him to standards watchdogs.
But last night he was still clinging to his position as a councillor – and refused to comment what he intends to do.
Following a special meeting of the ruling Conservative, Aberdeen Labour and independent administration yesterday, Donnelly was stripped of all his committee positions.
Another urgent meeting will also be held to remove him from the outside bodies he is a member of, such as the Aberdeen City Heritage Trust, the Association for Public Service Excellence, Grampian Houston Association and Proctor’s Orphanage Trust.
Last night Conservative group leader Douglas Lumsden said he has written a letter to Donnelly calling on him to resign, and that he hopes the leaders of all the political groups will sign it.
He said: “Given the verdict following Councillor Donnelly’s trial it is the administration’s view that he should be removed from all committees and outside bodies.
“The administration also believe that Councillor Donnelly should resign from the council.
“The administration can remove Councillor Donnelly from committees and have done so and we are therefore seeking the support from the other groups to remove him from outside bodies.
“Whilst the council has no mechanism to force Councillor Donnelly to resign his seat we are asking the group leaders to write to him asking him to resign his seat with immediate effect. “
Opposition Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill had previously called on Donnelly to resign and last night he said “of course” he would sign the follow up letter.
He said: ““We believe it is untenable that someone convicted of sexual assault remain a councillor. Councillor Donnelly should immediately resign from the council.
“The Liberal Democrats will not have anything to do with him while he remains a councillor and we welcome the decision from the administration.”
Jackie Dunbar, interim SNP group leader, said: “The SNP group has already called on Councillor Donnelly to resign and I am pleased that the administration have now concurred with our view.
“For once, Councillor Donnelly should do the decent thing and resign immediately.”
If Donnelly were to resign it would trigger a by-election in his Torry and Ferryhill ward – the second in recent months following the resignation of Catriona Mackenzie.
There will already be a ballot in the ward in the coming weeks following the election of SNP group leader Stephen Flynn as Aberdeen South MP.
The ruling Conservative, Aberdeen Labour and independent administration holds power with a single member majority – meaning two opposition victories in the ward could radically alter the balance of power.
On Friday, Donnelly was convicted of touching his victim’s face, hair and body and kissing him on the face at an event in the city on November 3 last year.
Following the trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Donnelly said he was “shocked and dismayed” at the verdict.
He was put on the sex offenders register, and will be sentenced next month.
