Fife CouncilThe leader of Fife Council is facing a no-confidence vote after a former Labour councillor who groomed and sexually assaulted a teenager was jailed.
David Graham, the former councillor for Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages, was jailed for 27 months after being found guilty of sexual offences against a 15 year-old girl.
His name was also added to the sex offenders register for a period of ten years.
Graham was suspended and later expelled by Scottish Labour following his conviction, while he was disqualified by Fife Council from serving as a councillor.
However the case has led to Fife Council leader David Ross facing calls for his “immediate removal” from SNP group leader Craig Walker over his handling of the case.
The motion will be made at next Thursday’s full council meeting.
Cllr Walker’s motion claims that no formal investigation or safeguarding processes were undertaken by the council or the Labour party after concerns were initially raised about Graham in 2017.
The motion reads: “Following these failures, Graham was approved to re-stand for the 2022 local government elections, appointed to senior positions within the Labour administration – including spokesperson for Health & Social Care on Fife Council and membership of the NHS Fife Board – and was not replaced by the Labour Group as a member of the Environment, Transportation and Climate Change Scrutiny Committee for several months.”
Cllr Walker said the nomination of Graham for appointment to senior roles, and the delay in replacing him on committee following his arrest, represented a “serious failure of judgement and leadership” by Cllr Ross and put “political management above staff and public safety.”
Google MapsHe said: “The handling of staff concerns in this matter demonstrates failings in the recording and escalation of the complaints against the elected member, materially undermining public confidence in the political leadership of the Council.
“Council therefore resolves to express no confidence in the current Leader of the Council, Councillor David Ross, and asks the Council to agree to remove Cllr Ross as the Leader of Council with immediate effect and to move to reappoint a new Leader of Council.”
Having served as a councillor since 2012, Graham was found guilty of abusing his teenage victim at various locations in Fife and Edinburgh, including his office, home address and in his car, between February and August 2023.
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