Collapsed Dumfries and Galloway Council to meet to find new leader

A special meeting will decide who should lead the council after a cross-party coalition collapsed

A special meeting has been called to appoint a new leader for Dumfries and Galloway Council after the collapse of a cross-party coalition.

The SNP's Stephen Thompson stood down after an opposition Conservative budget was voted through this week.

It means a new administration will need to be formed at the 43-member local authority.

A meeting has been called for 7 March to appoint a new leader as well as other key roles.

The move follows a budget-setting meeting earlier this week in which the SNP-Independent alliance saw its financial plans voted down.

• The rise and fall of a cross-party coalition

• Leader steps down as vote is lost

Its position had been weakened by the decision earlier this year of the Labour group to leave the coalition.

That left three competing budgets to be taken to the vote and the opposition Conservative plans were approved.

Gail MacGregor said her Conservative group was open to talks with others

Group leader Gail MacGregor - whose party has 17 councillors - said they were open to talks with others.

"We have spoken about collaboration and inclusion since last May, we have been offering that to all groups since last May and that position hasn't particularly changed," she said.

"We have seen disarray in the recent weeks and months.

"What we need now is some cohesion, some real vision and an administration that takes forward our very ambitious council plans."

No party has an outright majority on the council so they will need to form a coalition in order to achieve one.

Two independent councillors voted for the Conservative budget, but even with their support they would still fall three short of the 22 members needed for a working majority.

Negotiations are likely to continue up until the special meeting on Tuesday to try to form an alliance to lead the local authority.