Western Isles Council on 21st April confirmed it considered £50 Million required to be saved over the next 5 years reading from the Manifesto of Westminster austerity parties of Labour and Conservative. On 28th April it issued a press release stating £15million may be the order of magnitude; avoiding any reference whatever to its earlier prediction.
The Labour Party seized on the £15m cut as if it were an increase and claiming the £50 million figure was scaremongering by the SNP, despite the BBC holding evidence of the authenticity of the original information.
Notwithstanding that both scenarios are dire, an explanation is necessary as to why the Comhairle felt it should contradict its earlier position. Was it brought to bear? Was the press release of 28th April the result of party political pressure and who exactly applied that pressure?
Considerable evidence already exists of questionable conduct by some councillors in seeking to apply pressure on the Returning Officer regardless of the fact councillors have no remit over the work of a Returning Officer and importantly no complaint is known to have been lodged despite the rhetoric of feigned shock.
A longstanding area of interest exists over interpretation of appropriate conduct within the Councillors' Code of Conduct relating to Register of Interests. It is increasingly suspected that party politically active councillors, concerned about a tainted brand, are hiding their affiliations under the guise of Independents.
The principles which specify Integrity, Openness and Honesty in relation to Declaration of Interests are intended to introduce transparency in regard to interests which might influence or be thought to influence actions as a councillor. I will be writing further to Accounts Commission for Scotland and the Commission for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland for clear guidance on whether they consider it is the withholding of party political activities from the public record which is appropriate or that it is acceptable for it to be considered separate from their role as a councillor applying ("objective test").
Donald Manford
A journal written by the SNP opposition group on the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council).
