Rainbow coalition takes the reins at Dumfries and Galloway Council

A cross-party collective has been formed to run Dumfries and Galloway Council, appointing co-leaders for the first time.

Annandale North Councillor Stephen Thompson, leader of the SNP group, and Lochar member Linda Dorward, who heads up the Labour group, have agreed to share the top job.

The unusual move was agreed after SNP, Labour, Lib Dems and Independent councillors teamed up to form a rainbow alliance administration.

The opposition Conservatives – the largest political group on the council with 16 elected members – had put forward Annandale North Councillor Gail Macregor to serve as council leader.

A rainbow coalition will run the local authority from its HQ in Dumfries

However, this was defeated on a 25-17 vote as SNP, Labour, one Lib Dems councillor, and five of the six independents joined forces.

Councillor Thompson shook the hand of Councillor Dorward as she joined him at the top table to lead the way for the council this term.

He said: “Congratulations to everybody for getting elected. I don’t know if I’ve spoken to you all personally since the election, but we are all here to do a job for Dumfries and Galloway Council.

“I look forward to working with all of you in the next session as we go forward.”

Conservatives group leader Gail Macgregor had held discussions with the other political groups following the election on May 5.

She said: “We are the largest group on the council. A vibrant, talented, visionary group of 16 that have yet again been shut out of the main running of the council, which is incredibly unfortunate and doesn’t reflect the 38 percent of the vote that we succeeded in getting on May 5.”