West Lothian Council SNP administration under threat from rebel councillor

Feb 4 2010 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

WEST Lothian Council’s SNP administration are under threat after a rebel councillor pulled the plug on his support.

Gordon Beurskens, who was elected in May 2007 on the Action to Save St John’s Hospital ticket, says he can no longer back the SNP leadership following a row about council chief executive Alex Linkston.

At the moment the nationalists have a two-seat majority on the council thanks to the support of the three hospital campaigners and Conservative Provost Tom Kerr.

But Councillor Beurskens’ withdrawal of support could potentially see a 13-13 split on the council and make life more difficult for council leader Peter Johnston’s administration. However, any split votes at council meetings are decided by the provost who is likely to continue his backing for the SNP which should allow the administration to continue.

Councillor Beurskens is currently the subject of a police and Standards Commission investigation into allegations of planning corruption and potential breaches of the councillors’ code of conduct.

The Whitburn and Blackburn representative was reported to the police by the council chief executive after he was approached with complaints about planning issues by opposition councillors in December 2008.

However Councillor Beurskens claims Mr Linkston is carrying out a personal vendetta against him and that secretly the SNP leadership want rid of him but publically give the 60-year-old chief executive their full backing. And the hospital campaigner, whose colleagues Ellen Glass and John Cochrane will continue in their alliance with the SNP, says he can no longer support this “hypocritical” stance.

He added: “I have formally withdrawn my support for the SNP administration. I’m not stepping down from the Action to Save St John’s Hospital party but I can no longer support their formal arrangement with the SNP group.

“My reasons for that I will happily spell out at some stage in the future but they involve my disillusionment with the council chief executive Alex Linkston.

“I believe his position is now untenable and I cannot support an administration group that in private doesn’t back him but publically back him and take this hypocritical stance.

“Obviously I didn’t take the decision lightly but it is a personal decision. I will vote with my conscience from now on.

“I have certainly had some approaches from other councillors but this is not about destabilising the administration.

“I have a responsibility to the council and their employees and the wider West Lothian population but I have got to the stage now that I think I have a responsibility to my family and friends who have come second too often recently.”

Council Leader Peter Johnston was unavailable for comment as the Courier went to press.