Aberdeenshire Council has agreed to create a cross-party “Covid-19 Recovery Reference Group” to help the region recover from the pandemic.
Members unanimously agreed to create the 14-strong group at a virtual meeting yesterday.
It is hoped the new group, which will have its first meeting next week, will help to create an “integrated and holistic approach across the council” as the authority works to return to relative normality.
Council leader Jim Gifford said: “We are still very much in the response phase of this awful disease.
“But we are moving from that phase, into recovery.
“There’s still a very long way to go.
“We have an excellent scheme of governance, an excellent scheme of delegation and very robust decision-making processes, but our response for the recovery phase needs that little something extra, and I think this group will give us that.”
Opposition SNP group leader Gwyneth Petrie said: “The task ahead is significant and it’s important that elected members have the ability to oversee this process strategically.”
The council also agreed new changes in committee structure following recent moves within the chamber – including Mr Gifford’s departure from the Tories, along with Jeff Hutchison, Lesley Berry and Michael Roy.
Meanwhile Alastair Bews and Leigh Wilson, who previously quit the SNP, teamed up with the Democratic Independent and Green Group (Digg) to form the Democratic Alliance to gain more influence on committees.