Aberdeen Labour has voted in a new group leader – and have set out their stall ahead of crunch talks on the future running of the city council.
Sandra Macdonald, who was elected for a second term as George Street and Harbour councillor last week, will take over.
It follows the departure of long-time leader Jenny Laing, who chose not to stand again.
Aberdeen Labour’s free bus travel pledge key in leader’s coalition talks
Announcing her leadership, Mrs Macdonald confirmed her group’s priority in any negotiations with other parties would be free-for-all bus travel for city residents.
This could cost as much as £16 million a year, according to top council officials.
But Town House staff are at odds, with others predicting the price could be closer to £30m.
They will also push for a promise to rule out any compulsory redundancies at the local authority over the coming five years.
New leader Mrs Macdonald said: “My deputy Ross Grant and I will talk to other group leaders about what the council can do to help hard-pressed families with the cost-of-living crisis, to support the transition towards renewable energy, to deliver local action to tackle climate change and to improve public transport in the city.
“Above all, we will be calling on other parties to back Labour plans for free bus travel for all city residents, and to guarantee council workers that there will be no compulsory redundancies.”
A new (little n) Labour on Aberdeen City Council?
Aberdeen Labour gained two seats at Friday’s count at P&J Live, becoming the local authority’s second largest group.
Of the newly-elected 11 Aberdeen Labour councillors, six are new to the chamber.
The returning five, including Mrs Macdonald and Lord Provost Barney Crockett, are all that remains of the Aberdeen Nine.
Those were the 2017 cohort exiled by party chiefs for their coalition with the Conservatives.
SNP and Liberal Democrat councillors met yesterday for formal coalition talks, with their respective 20 and four councillors enough to secure a majority in the chamber.
But the Lib Dems are being sought for meetings with Labour as well as the Conservatives, who lost three seats in Thursday’s poll.
Labour sources hope the new faces might help to convince former political opponents that there is scope for an informal partnership going forward.
Scots Labour leader Anas Sarwar has ruled out official coalitions with parties of any creed.
Aberdeen Labour leader Macdonald very nearly missed chance to stand for re-election
The ascendancy of Mrs Macdonald, wife of retired Labour MSP Lewis, comes only months after she nearly lost the right to defend her George Street and Harbour seat at all.
New Hilton, Woodside and Stockethill councillor Deena Tissera originally stood for selection in George Street.
And members were split over who to choose during the Zoom meeting, with Ms Tissera eventually selected through the virtual pulling of straws.
That result was later declared void and the two were selected for their eventual wards at a second meeting.
Over the course of the pandemic, Mrs Macdonald rose to prominence as the face of the council’s £1.76m physical distancing project, Spaces For People.
On her appointment as group leader, Mrs Macdonald said: “I am delighted to have been chosen to lead Labour on Aberdeen City Council.
“Labour is now the second largest group on the council, and we have a strong team of councillors who will stand up for their constituents and do our utmost to protect public services.”
