SNP group in talks for new Highland Council leader
The SNP group on Highland Council are in talks to choose a new leader.
Several councillors are understood to have thrown their hats into the ring to take over from Drew Hendry, who is now the MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey.
Mr Hendry led the SNP group and the council.
There were unconfirmed reports that Richard Laird, the party’s deputy leader in the council, and Maxine Smith, Cromarty Firth councillor and the party’s chief whip in the council, were among those interested in the SNP group leader position.
Realistically, the person who leads the SNP group becomes the council leader.
Remuneration for this council leadership post is £37,880 which includes a basic councillor’s salary of £16,234.
Highland Council is run by a SNP-Lib Dem-Labour coalition with a group of Independent councillors in opposition and appointing a new leader is a matter for the full council.
A council spokeswoman said: "Technically, the opposition group of Independent councillors can nominate a member. In that situation, if it were to arise, there would be nominations invited.
"It would be usual for the administration group to put forward one nomination and it would go to a formal council meeting and all members would have a vote."
All 79 councillors will meet on Thursday to discuss a range of business. However, it is unlikely that they will be choosing a new council leader at this meeting.
A more probable scenario is the tendering of Mr Hendry’s resignation as leader of the council.
The new MP said no decisions had been made.
He said the first step would be for the SNP group to appoint its new leader and then the council could seek to elect a new leader.
Margaret Davidson, fellow ward councillor for Aird and Loch Ness, said time was of the essence.
She said: "You can’t leave a vacuum so it’s important that someone is leading the group."
At the general election, Mr Hendry took 28,838 votes. Mr Alexander secured 18,029 votes – more than he won in 2010 but not enough to hold back the SNP national landslide.
