Firth Councillor attacks OIC chairmanship appointment system
(Dated: June 18, 2003)

An islands councillor has launched an attack on the system for appointing members to promoted posts on the OIC, describing it as a "corrupted method" which smacked of "jobs for the boys."

Councillor Alistair Gordon voiced his concern after declining to be nominated as vice-chairman of the OIC's licensing sub-committee.

He said he was “unhappy” at the “cut and dried way” in which the committee chairmanships and vice-chairs had been appointed.

Councillor Gordon commented: "I, personally, can't take part in this. It won't affect the business of the licensing sub-committee. We can elect a chairman from any one of the members present at a meeting and legally, we don't need to appoint a vice-chairman. Someone can stand in for the chairman on an ad hoc basis. I am writing to the convener, with a more detailed explanation of why I am declining nomination and sending a copy of the letter to the Scottish Executive. They might find it helpful in light of the fact that councillors' pay and remuneration are being looked at by them at the moment. So 'Thank you, but no thank you."

The sub-committee appointed Councillor Janice Annal as vice-chair.