Party differences are made clear to all

Dear Editor Councillor Xander McDade accuses the SNP, myself included, of political posturing before the General Election. Actually, what I put forward in my original letter (Perthshire View, May 19) was all about serious, grown-up politics.

He claims that I never spoke to him about forming a progressive alliance. Well, since I had just been elected, of course I didn’t! That was left to our leader Dave Doogan and deputy leader, Grant Laing, to talk to experienced councillors.

I am not one of them, nor is Xander.

What I do know is that there were talks with the other Independents, the sole Labour councillor, and the Liberal Democrats. They all decided to throw their lot in with the Tories. Then again, I’m not quite sure about the Labour councillor’s position. Is he for the new coalition on Perth and Kinross, or against it?

Xander would like the work of all councillors to be nonparty political. And of course quite a bit of it is. Indeed, in Strathearn I want to co-operate on a number of matters to advance the interests and future of my constituents.

There is a limit to that, though. What I will not accept is any kind of soggy consensus at local level that merely helps the Tories with their agenda.

And let’s remember what that agenda is. Just three months ago on the debate on the Perth and Kinross Council Budget the Tories put forward various proposals.

I referred before to the local Citizens Advice Bureau. It’s not just about CAB’s office in Perth, but their vital outreach work in the landward areas of Perth and Kinross.

I can give a number of other clear examples. Cllr Ian Campbell and his group wanted to remove entirely any funds to support parent councils in local schools.

The Tories wanted the closure of all public toilets in Perth and Kinross. They wanted to increase parking charges, and worse than that bereavement charges. They aimed to slash the council’s property maintenance budget by nearly £0.7m.

And they wanted to cut rural bus services. That may yet be one of the biggest issues of all at local level.

Xander McDade, though, has told us he wants to defend “front-line” services. Not clear what he means by this. He’s also received “written support” from the new administration. Is that the same “written support” that other Independents have received?

Last but not least, there are the Liberal Democrats. What “written support “have they received from the Tories? We’ll wait and see. Their real risk is that instead of being seen as a progressive party they just end up being the Tory Party’s Perthshire poodles. Stewart Donaldson SNP Councillor Strathearn