Ex-Labour Councillor Brenda Campbell, January 2001.
| 'This was not the first time I have been denied access to relevant information and I am not prepared to put up with this situation any longer. It is quite intolerable and I have to say that as an Independent councillor, the Labour group cannot take my support for granted in the future.' Ex-Labour Councillor Brenda Campbell, January 2001. | |
COUNCILLOR Brenda Campbell has become the second Labour councillor in less than 12 months to quit the ruling group on South Ayrshire Council.
Threatened by unspecified disciplinary action following her decision to vote with the Conservative opposiÐtion during December's debate on the controversial restructuring of the management of the council, she decided to jump before she was pushed.
A long-standing member of the Labour Party, Councillor Campbell, who represents Ayr Craigie, said she was disappointed but felt she had no choice in the matter.
Councillor Campbell said she had been regularly 'frozen out' of key meetings and denied access to relevant information.
The last straw was the campaign of 'threats and intimidation' she claimed had been waged against her by senior members of the Labour group since the December meeting.
She said: "I have been told I broke party rules - but I did not vote against Labour policy. I simply wanted more information and more time in which to consider the restructuring.
"This was not the first time I have been denied access to relevant information and I am not prepared to put up with this situation any longer.
"It is quite intolerable and I have to say that as an Independent councillor, the Labour group cannot take my support for granted in the future.
"If the Conservatives make a reasonable proposal on any specific issue then I would be prepared to give it due consideration." Councillor Campbell mainÐtained she was not the only member of the Labour group to be kept in the dark from time to time.
She claimed: "I know of others who have equally been denied all the necessary information on certain issues.
"I have been a member of the Labour Party and a Labour counÐcillor for many years and I did not take this decision lightly. In the circumstances however, I felt it was the only course open to me." Labour leader Andy Hill said that, due to the Labour Party's disciÐplinary procedures, he was unable to comment on Councillor Campbell's allegations at this time.
A SENIOR South Ayrshire Council official has accused a small but prominent group within the council of 'intimidation and common bullying'.
The official, who does not wish to be identified, also claimed that fiscal control had been lost both overall and within departments.
Indeed, the damning indictment catalogues a raft of concerns and criticisms.
In the unprecedented move, the official states: "I am concerned at the continued degradation of public service which has taken place since the current council came into existence.
"A small group keep control of their colleagues and employees by intimidation and common bullying techniques.
"Any questioning of their authority or even the expression of a differing view is met with verbal abuse and threats.
"This situation has prevailed for some years and has resulted in the total demoralisation of staff." The official claimed: "Employees are no longer encouraged to show initiative or accept responsibility.
"The culture of corporate working has become an 'art form' and nobody is responsible for anything.
"Decisions of far-reaching significance are taken behind closed doors on the basis of narrow political dogma and personal bias. This is usually where old scores are also settled." The official maintained: "Fiscal control has been lost both overall and within departments.
"Budgets are little more than a charade with various 'pet' projects being dreamt up and promoted at the expense of the council's core responsibilities.
"Long-term financial planning and investment is sidelined in order to facilitate the latest high-public profile brainwave.
"We now have the situation where central administration, bureaucracy and the costs of dressing up the system for public consumption are totally dominant.
"Those actually carrying out the duties of providing a core service to the public are relegated to a secondary and subservient role." The official claimed: "This malaise, I am ashamed to say, manifests itself to the public in the form of appalling road conditions, poor cleansing, disenchanted teachers, the deterioration of our once proud parks and gardens, disgusting or closed public toilets and the gradual deterioration of our town centres.
"As an employee of this local authority, I am ashamed of the level of service being exhibited."
SOUTH Ayrshire Council's Tory leader Councillor Gibson Macdonald has supported the view that an element of bullying and intimidation has occurred within the council.
He hit out: "I am not surprised that this officer has expressed disgust at the way employees are treated.
"Officers have told me that in private meetings with other officers present, they have been victims of bully-boy tactics and verbal abuse.
"And frequently I have heard officers expressing disgust at the treatment meted out to them.
"However, none of them have been willing to complain publicly until now since they are not sufficiently confident they could continue to work for the council if they did." Councillor Macdonald said members of the public did not get a chance to witness such behaviour but observed: "This week, we see a long-standing Labour councillor resigning the party `whip' rather than stand for the bullying that was to be inflicted on her.
"What was her crime? Brenda Campbell was not satisfied the Labour group or the council had reviewed the proposed management restructuring properly and understood what it would do for council services.
"At the council meeting in December she pleaded for more time and more information. Knowing she would be defeated, she voted with the Tories to continue discussion on the proposal.
"For this crime she has been harassed and threatened with disciplinary action to such an extent she has resigned the Labour whip and become an independent councillor." On the restructuring itself, Councillor Macdonald acknowledged that senior officers of the council were particularly aggrieved.
He said: "They accept that if the Labour group wishes to change the managerial structure, they have the right and power to do so. They believe, however, that there should have been proper consultation and discussion with them before a new structure was implemented.
"They have all signed a corporate contract with chief executive George Thorley, agreeing to work as a corporate team.
"But that structure, fundamental to the council, was recommended by one man - George Thorley.
"Directors must see what has now happened as a breach of this agreement and their trust." He claimed: "More than one officer has commented to me that they are disgusted.
"They see the number of departments is cut from seven to four and the directors have been told they will have to apply for the jobs that are left.
"Moreover, the new scheme was rushed through days before Christmas - a callous and uncaring act and taking away any sense of security or happiness that employees might have had at the festive season."
COUNCILLOR Brenda Campbell's resignation from the Labour group has left the administration with no overall majority.
And the move prompted immediate demands from the Tory opposition for a share of the committee convenerships.
The Tories were also quick to exploit Labour's vulnerability.
Councillor Winifred Sloan declared: "Brenda is a dedicated local councillor who is well known for her hard-working reputation and commitment to her constituents.
"It is a shame her dedication seems not to be valued by her Labour colleagues and she has been forced to take this step.
"The Conservative group wish her well and we look forward to working with her as an Independent councillor for the better good of the people of South Ayrshire." And Tory deputy group leader Robin Reid stressed: "Councillor Campbell's resigÐnation from the Labour group means South Ayrshire Council has 15 Labour councillors and 15 opposition councillors which is techÐnically a state of no overall control.
"Labour have now lost their overall majority on the council and while they will no doubt try to soldier on through the casting votes of their committee conveners and the Provost, it is now a lame duck adminÐistration." Councillor Reid added: "I would not be at all surprised if Brenda was just the first of a number of defections from the Labour group since the discontent among Labour councillors which has been simmering for some months now, seems finally about to spiral out of control." And he maintained: "Other Scottish counÐcils in which no single party has overall control - like East Dunbartonshire and Perth and Kinross - reflect the fact fairly by conceding convenerships to councillors of different parties and that should clearly now happen in South Ayrshire.
"We don't think it is acceptable that a Labour group which does not have an outÐright majority should continue to monopoÐlise all the committee convenerships and vice-convenerships."
FORMER Provost Robert Campbell knows better than anyone how his namesake Brenda must be feeling.
He quit the group last year followÐing allegations that he had visited porn sites on his council computer.
And this week Mr Campbell confirmed he would NOT be seeking reinstatement to the Labour Group. Instead, he will continue to sit as an Independent.
He has consistently denied the allegation and has been fighting to clear his name.
However, he has failed to get access to details of the allegations.
The ex-Provost maintained: "If the Labour Group continue to deny me this - despite repeated requests from my solicitors for access - then natural justice will never prevail.
"And I have now asked my legal representatives to endeavour by any means appropriate, to obtain the details of the allegations." Mr Campbell has been told that, under Labour Party rules, his decision to leave the Labour group meant he would also be out of the Labour Party.
And he added: "I realise that by becoming an Independent member of the council, the Labour group will say there is no longer a requirement to conduct an investiÐgation.
"However, I have no intention of dropping this matter and will fight on to clear my name."
RESPONDING to the attack by the un-named senior official, South Ayrshire Council's chief executive George Thorley maintained: "We would not normally comment on the contents of what, as far as we are concerned, is an anonymous letter.
"But we are being forced to make budget savings of around £15 million over three years - and you can't do that without severe pain in the organisation." Mr Thorley added: "We will also be reducing the number of our senior managers - an immediate saving of £0.5 million per annum - and implementing radical service reviews across the council.
"These are difficult times for our workforce as they see these measures being implemented in their workplaces, so perhaps it's not surprising that some will feel anxious."
Return to home page