Google MapsThe leader of Fife Council has accused opposition councillors of “dirty politics” after surviving a no-confidence vote.
David Ross faced calls for his “immediate removal” over his handling of disgraced ex-councillor David Graham, who was convicted and jailed for grooming a teenage girl.
Ross survived the move as 40 councillors voted to reject the no-confidence motion and conduct an independent, external review, which will examine how the case was handled.
The vote saw 34 SNP councillors call for Ross to step down.
Row over convicted councillor
Graham was a former councillor for Buckhaven, Methil, and Wemyss Villages, and was recently jailed for 27 months after being found guilty of sexual offences against a 15-year-old girl.
Scottish Labour suspended and later expelled him from the party, and he was disqualified from serving as a Fife councillor.
However, Fife’s SNP group leader Craig Walker claimed that neither the council nor the Labour party undertook any formal investigation or safeguarding processes after concerns were initially raised about Graham in 2017.
Graham was later approved to re-stand for the 2022 local government elections and appointed to senior positions within the Labour administration – including spokesperson for Health and Social Care on Fife Council and membership of the NHS Fife Board.
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”.
However, the council leader insisted he “acted properly and appropriately throughout this case” based on what he knew at the time. He said the evidence that came out regarding Graham was a “complete shock”.
Cllr Ross said complaints he had been asked to deal with in 2017 related to Graham spending too much time in council offices and distracting staff.
“The staff were clear they did not wish to make a complaint and I respected their wishes and confidentiality about how it should be dealt with,” Cllr Ross said.
“There was no suggestion of any sexual or inappropriate behaviour were confirmed to me.”
He added: “This motion is an unjustified personal attack on me that goes beyond the basis of political debate.”
Cllr Walker “completely refuted” that his motion was a smear campaign against the council leader.
Cllr Walker argued that he believes Cllr Ross to be a “good and honourable man”, but insisted he was challenging his political judgement which he said is “completely different”.
The motion was defeated and Cllr Ross will remain as council leader.
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