A long-serving councillor has been elected to a senior ceremonial role.
Conservative Alan Donnelly was named Depute Lord Provost of Aberdeen at a meeting yesterday of the city council’s urgent business committee.
The ward member for Torry and Ferryhill narrowly defeated SNP nominee Bill Cormie by seven votes to six.
He replaces Tom Mason, his fellow Tory councillor who stepped aside after becoming an MSP for the North East region.
Aberdeen’s deputy provost faces calls to step down after taking MSP job
But the election of the outspoken councillor provoked a political outcry over his suitability for the civic position.
Mr Donnelly, 62, has been a councillor in the city for 25 years, and first moved to the north-east in 1980, where he went to work at the St Fergus gas plant near Peterhead.
He said he would “take very seriously” his new responsibilities.
“It is with great pride that I accept the role of Deputy Lord Provost,” Mr Donnelly told the meeting.
“I have always enjoyed the civic side of being a councillor, and have always taken an interest and helped the Provost when required.
“It is a role that I will take very seriously and I look forward to working alongside the Lord Provost in the coming months and years.”
Former council leader Barney Crockett took on the Lord Provost role after May’s council elections, taking over from George Adam who retired from the council.
But opposition figuressaid they did not believe Mr Donnelly was fit for the role.
SNP opposition leader Stephen Flynn said: “I do not believe that Alan Donnelly is a fit and proper person to hold the role of Depute Provost.
“I do not say that because I think that he is a bad person, but because I think his politics are not compatible with the civic responsibilities of the role.
“It is worth reflecting that Councillor Donnelly is prone to political outbursts in the council chamber and has been known on several occasions to overstep the mark.
“Indeed, despite being the only Conservative in the council for the best part of a year once Ross Thomson became an MSP, his own party still didn’t allow him to become the group leader.”
Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill said: “We believe he is completely unsuited for this important civic position. His behaviour over recent years makes us fear the worst over this shock appointment.
“I am sure anyone who has seen how Councillor Donnelly can behave in council meetings will be as surprised and disappointed as we are by his appointment as Depute Provost.”
