The two-strong political group which tipped the scale of power on Aberdeenshire Council earlier this week has reiterated the goal of a new administration must be “better policies and services”.
Martin Ford and Paul Johnston of the Democratic Independent and Green Group (Digg) agreed to support a new coalition involving the SNP and the Progressive Alliance – the four councillors who quit the previous administration – on key votes.
However, East Garioch Green Mr Ford and Mid-Formartine Democratic Independent Mr Johnston, who share equal power in the group, will not be full members of a new ruling body.
The 34 councillors have agreed to safeguard spending on community learning and development until 2020 and to shift £250,000 from the £28million roads maintenance budget to support cycling and walking in Aberdeenshire if a new administration is elected.
Members also agreed to ensure suppliers of goods and services to the council pay at least the living wage to their employees.
The implementation of a zero-waste strategy in the region and a transition to a low carbon economy is also outlined in the agreement, along with a commitment to the reopening of a railway line between Ellon and Dyce and a pledge to ensurr the council is “meeting the national standards of community engagement”.
Mr Ford added: “Apart from the need to give stability to the Council, what really matters is the policies the council has, the services it delivers.
“There’s not a lot of point in changing the individuals heading the council if everything else stays the same.
“The agreement we have reached absolutely commits a new administration to co-operating with us to change some council priorities and ways of working.”