Aberdeen’s former council leader is expected to be sidelined as the Labour-led administration reshuffles key personnel next week.
Barney Crockett faces being frozen out of the top positions at the town house in the political shake-up to be decided on Wednesday.
The number of committees at the authority is being reduced in line with a departmental restructuring, which will leave many senior councillors concerned about their roles.
At present, 19 of the 43 members receive senior councillor allowances, a pay increase of about £8,000 for vice-conveners and about £12,000 for conveners above the standard salary.
The Lord Provost and the council leader, who receive the largest salaries, are not included in the 19.
Labour councillor Mr Crockett, who was convener of the powerful enterprise, strategic planning and infrastructure committee, looks certain to be a casualty of the overhaul.
He was replaced as leader by Jenny Laing earlier this year, prompting claims from the opposition that he was “stabbed in the back” by colleague Willie Young.
Mr Crockett is expected to hold onto his post as convener of the pensions panel, although it will be renamed the pensions committee.
Council sources said yesterday he will not be given one of the top posts, however.
New leader Mrs Laing will give up her role as education convener, but said that no other decisions have been taken as yet.
She added: “We can’t go into any detail at the moment.
“What we have to do is look at the structures and make sure that we have the people in place to push forward with the plans that we have for delivering for the people of Aberdeen.”
Opposition SNP group spokesman Graham Dickson said: “We will see who has been able to curry favour with the council leader and the finance convener.
“Some may get quite upset if they face a pay cut or if they lose a position, but I hope we won’t see any new pointless positions being created as has been done in the past.”
Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill said any personnel changes were a matter for the Labour group and the administration.
Mr Crockett could not be reached last night.
A report on the restructuring will be debated at full council on Wednesday.
Mrs Laing said the administration will present a full list of committee conveners and vice-conveners for approval.