Crisis at the council

A SPECIAL meeting of Dumfries and Galloway Council is to be held to sort out the future leadership. It comes after the resignation of seven Tory councillors from the administration side over the last week. Ian and Karen Carruthers, Andrew Wood, David Ingles, Richard Marsh, Chrissie Hill and Andrew Giusti have quit citing frustrations with their party and how it has been running the council. For some of them, the lack of support for the Galloway National Park proposal was the final straw. Their walkout has triggered other political groups to ask for the special meeting "to consider a potential change in political leadership". It will take place on Monday 16 June at 2 pm at council headquarters in English Street, Dumfries and will be livestreamed. Commenting on the situation, Tory and council leader Cllr Gail Macgregor wished her colleagues well and said: “There are many challenges facing Dumfries and Galloway right now and my focus remains fully on delivering on the priorities of people living and working in this area. “Under my leadership of the council we have invested in major and successful projects in recent years and I will continue to take forward our positive agenda.” * Full story in this week's papers