SNP win Clackmannanshire council after vote of no confidence in Labour administration

The Scottish National Party have seized control of Clackmannanshire council after a vote of no confidence in the Labour administration.

The SNP’s success will add to the growing momentum behind the party as it gears up for this year’s local government campaign.

The party has targeted a number of prominent Labour-led councils, with a particular focus on the traditional Labour stronghold of Glasgow.

The change of administration in Clackmannanshire comes after a special meeting of councillors called for by the SNP, who tabled the no confidence motion.

The motion received crucial support from Eddie Carrick, an independent who left Labour after being told he would not be selected as a candidate for council elections in May.

Labour’s running of the council has come under increasing pressure amid high-profile criticism of local childcare services and accusations of financial mismanagement.

Mr Carrick, previously a prominent local Labour figure and a friend of former first minister Jack McConnell, described his recent fall-out with the Labour party as “water under the bridge”, but his change of allegiance has been criticised by Labour councillors.

The SNP and Labour have 7 councillors each, but the SNP were able to take control after gaining the support of Carrick and another independent councillor. The Liberal Democrat and Conservative groups abstained.

The change in administration will see the SNP’s Gary Womersley become council leader, while fellow Nationalist councillor Tina Murphy is to be the council’s first female Provost.

Labour’s running of local care services for children came under fire from Alloa sheriff David Mackie, who claimed there had been a "dereliction of statutory duty" by the council in child welfare protection.

This came after growing criticism of Labour’s financial management of council services. The high cost of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) payments for Clackmannanshire’s three secondary schools and the closures of a local swimming pool, family centre and public toilets led to increasing political pressure on the council.

However, Ochil and South Perthshire Labour MP Gordon Banks attacked the SNP group for “opportunism”, blaming council cuts on the Nationalist government in Holyrood.

Councillor Womersley said that the SNP would bring “positive and constructive administration” to the council.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: "I have long maintained that this council needs good financial stewardship, robust governance and, above all, a strong sense of ambition and long-term strategy for Clackmannanshire."

The SNP now leads 11 out of Scotlands 32 councils, and is also junior partner in both Edinburgh and East Renfrewshire.