Aberdeenshire Council leaders launched a scathing attack on opposition councillors last night, accusing them of stalling flagship projects including the new Peterhead Academy.
Yesterday marked one year of leadership from The Partnership coalition of Aberdeenshire’s SNP, Labour and Progressive Independent groups.
And while council co-leaders Richard Thomson and Martin Kitts-Hayes heralded their success in managing the local authority’s budget, they condemned the Aberdeenshire Alliance as a “struggling” opposition.
The senior councillors also accused the Tory-led Alliance of holding up flagship agenda projects, such as the replacement secondary school in Peterhead.
Mr Thomson, SNP councillor for Ellon, said the “sound and fury” heard from the Alliance has been about small issues.
“Much of the activity we’ve seen from the opposition has been nitpicking rather than anything of substance,” he said.
“We’ve seen referrals over service plans. And I say this as someone who had been in opposition for most of my career.
“The purpose of opposition is to change or stop things – I think that’s a hangover from their last days in administration.”
Mr Thomson highlighted the Alliance’s attempt to stall a £15,000 Gaelic language project last year.
He added: “It’s hard to see what holds the Alliance together other than an antipathy for the SNP.”
Fellow co-leader Mr Kitts-Hayes – who served as deputy leader to Conservative councillor Jim Gifford under the previous administration – echoed his colleagues remarks.
“The penny has dropped. They only gave us four months – they said it would implode,” the Inverurie councillor said.
“When the previous administration fell to pieces, the SNP became something of a boogeyman for Jim Gifford.
“The opposition are finding it very hard to disagree with anything we’re going. I think they’re struggling to find something.
“They’re now holding up Peterhead Academy.”
When the Partnership seized control last June the new leadership announced that building a replacement for Peterhead Academy was their flagship infrastructure project.
Last month the Press and Journal revealed that the scheme – which could cost more than £40million – would create a new community campus in the heart of the town.
But at the most recent meeting of the education committee, opposition councillors led by Liberal Democrat member Isobel Davidson blocked a list of council priorities including the new school, calling for the decision to be thrown to a meeting of all 68 councillors.
Last night senior Alliance councillors hit back at the co-leaders accusations.
Liberal Democrat Karen Clark said: “I am disappointed that the new administration has resorted to name calling and putting such weight on party politics.”
She described the Alliance as a “responsible opposition” which is holding the Partnership to account.
“Major capital projects including building a new council headquarters and the prioritisation of new schools must be subject to due process,” she added.
“These are matters of public interest and for democratic debate at full council – in no way can this be described as time wasting or holding projects back.”
