THE SNP are back in control of Dumfries and Galloway Council following a crunch meeting this afternoon.
The Conservatives were booted out of power following two years in charge of the local authority, with councillors voting 16-10 in favour of the Nationalists replacing them (a further 16 elected members abstained from the vote).
Annandale North Councillor Stephen Thompson, who previously served as co-leader in 2022-23, is back as council leader.
He said afterwards: “It’s now down to us to work hard for the people of Dumfries and Galloway.”
Meanwhile, Mid Galloway and Wigotwn West Councillor Katie Hagmann has been installed as council convener and deputy leader.
A special meeting was convened at the council headquarters in Dumfries at 2pm after 22 opposition SNP and Labour councillors – more than half of all elected members – signed a vote of no confidence in council leader Gail Macgregor and deputy leader Malcolm Johnstone.
Both councillors Macgregor and Johnstone walked before being pushed as they submitted resignations before the meeting began.
SNP Councillor Katie Hagmann, who chaired the meeting, said: “I’d like to acknowledge the hard work of the leader and previous convener. Thank you Gail, thank you Malcolm for taking forward the business of the council this past two years.”
The hour-long debate was streamed live on the council’s YouTube channel and there were over 200 people watching live at one point – considerably more than the usual handful of people tuning in to other council meetings.
The SNP group put forward a motion for Councillors Thompson and Hagmann to take the reins.
However, Stranraer and the Rhins Councillor Andrew Giusti – one of seven councillors who recently quit the Conservatives group – put forward an amendment for Annandale South Councillor Ian Carruthers (former Conservatives, now Dumfries and Galloway Independents) to become new council leader.
Following a vote, most of the remaining Conservatives and all eight Labour councillors abstained.
And with the SNP gaining the support of five independent councillors, they won the vote 16-10 to form the new administration.
New council leader Stephen Thompson said: “It was good to get the support of independent councillors. They’re important as we’re too small a group to do everything on our own.
“But after today’s vote where you have 16 voting for the proposal, 10 against it, and another 16 abstaining, then you can’t take anything for granted.
“It’s now down to us to work hard for the people of Dumfries and Galloway.”
Above: Cllr Katie Hagmann, right, chaired the crisis meeting
