Moray Council has chosen a new equalities champion.
The move comes after SNP councillor for Speyside Glenlivet Juli Harris resigned after posting an Anglophobic message on social media.
Conservative councillor for Heldon and Laich Bridget Mustard will now take on the job.
The move was agreed at a meeting of the full council today.
‘This is about respect’
Labour member for Elgin North Sandy Keith asked if there would be discussion on “how we got to the stage” of seeking a new equalities champion.
But chief executive Roddy Burns explained the report was only to make appointments to roles that had recently been resigned.
And there needed to be respect shown for the meeting’s process as well as to each other.
Independent councillor for Speyside Glenlivet Derek Ross said: “This is definitely about respect.
“Respect for a considerable amount of people who live in Moray.”
Ms Harris commented on a photo posted on X, previously known as Twitter, showing an empty committee room at the party conference with the message saying the SNP is dead.
She replied: “Rubbish, English wifey.”
In November, Mr Keith raised concerns over Ms Harris’s message with SNP group co-leaders Graham Leadbitter and Shona Morrison.
And it was agreed she should resign the role as equalities champion.
Speaking at the meeting, Ms Harris said she had apologised to Mr Keith and had taken further equality and diversity training.
Apology
She added: “I fully support councillor Mustard being equalities champion. I think she’ll do an absolutely brilliant job.”
New appointments were also made for a council representative to the north-east Scotland pension fund, and a joint older persons champion.
SNP councillor for Elgin South Mr Leadbitter has resigned from his pension fund role.
He has been replaced by Conservative member for Speyside Glenlivet Davis Gordon.
Conservative councillor for Elgin South Peter Bloomfield James takes on the joint role of older persons’ champion, alongside SNP member for Buckie Sonya Warren.
It comes after Conservative councillor for Heldon and Laich James Allan resigned because of ill-health.
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