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Job swap planned for Moray Council leaders

Councillors will meet again to agree leadership positions on Wednesday.
Councillors will meet again to agree leadership positions on Wednesday.

The convener of Moray Council has been tipped to become the authority’s new leader.

Keith councillor Stewart Cree has been chosen by the ruling Independent-Conservative group to take over from Allan Wright, who resigned from the post last week.

As part of the move, Councillor Wright would take on Mr Cree’s convener role.

The job swap comes after a stormy week for the authority, prompted by the administration’s failure to secure backing for a schools shake-up.

After the motion to close several rural schools was lost, Mr Wright announced he was quitting as leader as he felt he could not continue without the support of the majority of councillors.

Just days later, the administration pulled the plug on an all-party working group.

Members felt the SNP’s failure to support the school plans were a major – and unexpected – U-turn.

They also then expelled planning chairman Douglas Ross from the administration, accusing him of “canvassing” against their ambitions.

Now the authority is aiming to get back on track by appointing Mr Cree as the new leader at a special meeting next week.

Mr Cree said the administration respected Mr Wright’s decision to resign on a “matter of principle”.

He said: “Allan has been an excellent leader of this council.

“Although we respect his decision to resign on a matter of principle, we still wish him to take an active role.

“We all acknowledge the value of his contribution to the administration and the council, so the group intend to recommend he becomes convener.

“The group wish me to become leader, and this will also be proposed to the special meeting of the full council on November 18.”

In order to be approved, the switch will need a majority vote from members of the full council.

If approved, the pair will take up their new roles on January 1.