Aberdeen’s council leader Jenny Laing has offered neighbouring authorities the chance to join a new breakaway local government group after the city administration quit Cosla yesterday.
Councillors voted to finalise a previously agreed decision to leave the umbrella body on March 31 to form the Scottish Local Government Partnership (SLGP) with three Labour-led councils from the central belt.
Mrs Laing argued that Aberdeen, which has historically complained about a low funding settlement from the Scottish Government, could now negotiate a better deal outwith Cosla (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities).
She argued that Cosla has “failed to adequately represent its members for a number of years”.
And the Labour councillor said other authorities, including Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland, could be given the chance to come on board with the new group.
She said: “What we have done is write to all other councils intimating what our decision would be, what we were laying in front of our respective councils, and we would welcome anybody that wants to come on board with that if they want to be part of the partnership.
“We work very closely with Aberdeenshire at the moment, for example, on our City Deal bid.
“What I would say is that people have to make up their own minds what’s best for their individual councils but we would certainly welcome their input if they wanted to join us.”
Aberdeenshire Council leader Jim Gifford said last week that his administration would be re-committing itself to Cosla, which has been the centre of a long-running power struggle.
It is understood that Fife Council may be receptive to joining the new SLGP, which will include Glasgow, Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire, subject to formal agreement from those three authorities.
In the Aberdeen council chamber yesterday, opposition SNP group leader Callum McCaig said the city would be “jumping out of the frying pan and into one hell of a bonfire” by joining the SLGP.
He claimed that Aberdeen would be nothing more than a “branch office” of Glasgow Labour”.
However, former Labour council leader Barney Crockett argued Aberdeen was in danger of being left behind by other UK city regions.
He said: “We need support, not because we need more money than other areas, but because we are offering more.”