SNP leads new Aberdeenshire Council partnership

An SNP-led partnership has taken control of Aberdeenshire Council after a special meeting of the authority.

The administration on the council had been made up of Conservative, Liberal Democrats, Labour and Independent councillors.

But the Conservative-led administration lost its majority after the resignation of four coalition councillors.

The leadership will be shared between independent Martin Kitts-Hayes and the SNP's Richard Thomson.

Mr Kitts-Hayes said: "I think it's going to work very well. We have to be able to compromise."

Mr Thomson said: "Job sharing arrangements are becoming more and more commonplace in society."

The meeting saw the SNP's Hamish Vernal and Allison Grant become the new provost and deputy provost respectively.

Ousted former provost Jill Webster said: "I am undoubtedly very sad, because I have put my heart and soul into the role. It feels like a stab in the back."

But Green councillor Martin Ford said after the vote: "Provost Webster has worked very hard, there's no personal criticism, she was just part of an administration which has lost its majority."