Moray councillors have been unable to discuss the killing of whales and dolphins in the Faroe Islands as it was deemed irrelevant to its statutory business.
A notice of motion asking members to consider the issue and make their views known to the Faroese government was withdrawn at a meeting of the corporate committee this week, as it was declared to be incompetent and outwith the local authority’s remit.
But council leader Graham Leadbitter felt that decision was “profoundly undemocratic” and left him “constitutionally bound”.
Around 600 pilot whales and between 10 and 35 white-sided dolphins are killed by the Faroese each year.
However, in one day in September 2021, more than 1,400 dolphins died in what is termed a grind that involves herding the sea mammals on to a beach and slaughtering them.
The incident drew widespread condemnation.
‘Profoundly undemocratic’
At the meeting on Tuesday, Mr Leadbitter, who tabled the motion following concerns raised by a constituent, said: “I’ve tried various ways of finding a way to deal with this and I’ve found myself constitutionally bound with it.
“I’m finding myself feeling it’s really undemocratic and that the current procedures in the council aren’t allowing it to be debated, which is a frustration both for the person that’s written and a frustration for me not being able to provide an answer.”
Chairman of the meeting Aaron McLean had seconded the motion and agreed with the points made by Mr Leadbitter.
But following discussions with officers, he felt it was not relevant business for the committee or the council.
Alasdair McEachan, head of governance, strategy and performance, apologised for the notice of motion being included in committee papers published before he was able to give guidance on the issue.
He said: “My view is in this case the issue is outwith the statutory remit of the council, it’s not what councillors are elected to do.
“Although I do recognise there’s a political element here and the council and council business is very much what councillors wish to make of it.”
Council leader left ‘constitutionally bound’
A petition asking the local authority to make the Faroese government aware that the people of Moray were against killing whales and dolphins, was submitted in February.
Petitions need at least 50 signatures from those living in Moray who are on the electoral register before it can be considered.
But it was declared invalid as the subject was not something the local authority was responsible for.
Officers will look into ways topics not directly connected with council business can be debated as part of a review into the local authority’s petitions process.
