Falkirk Council: Two new Baillies appointed to support Provost and Depute Provost

Baillie James Kerr, leader of the Conservative group. (Picture: Falkirk Council)

Falkirk Council has appointed two new Baillies to help the Provost and Depute Provost in their civic duties.

James Kerr, from the Conservative group and Independent Billy Buchanan – a former Provost of Falkirk – agreed to take on the honorary, unpaid roles at a meeting of Falkirk Council this week.

But their appointments were questioned by SNP councillor Stacey Devine who had previously requested that the council find a gender balance when making the appointments.

She said: “We have a male Provost, a male deputy, and now putting forward two male Baillies – it’s not representative of this council. I would urge the rest of the council to make sure that going forward it is gender balanced.”

Baillie Billy Buchanan. (Picture: Falkirk Council)

The Conservative group leader said that both women in his group, Sarah Patrick and Claire Mackie-Brown, had been asked but neither had been able to take on the role.

Likewise Independents Ann Ritchie and Laura Murtagh had both turned the offer down.

However, Independent councillor Laura Murtagh said the fact that it had been impossible to get a female Baillie showed the problems that many women – who are more likely to have caring responsibilities – face in local government.

She said: “It’s much more about creating the circumstances that allow more women to be represented in this chamber. We need to address the circumstances and not just put people in as figureheads thinking that will fix it because, regrettably, it won’t.”

The need for the honorary roles was agreed by Falkirk Council in September at the request of Provost Robert Bissett.

Members then agreed that there should be one Conservative and an Independent to reflect the make up of the council as Provost Bissett is a Labour councillor and Depute Provost David Balfour is from the SNP group.

At the September meeting, Provost Bissett said that many other councils have Baillies, who provide support for civic engagements that are part of the Provost’s role and provide cover for holidays and sickness.

He said he was keen to give a “political balance across the civic function” and provide a “good example of cross-party collaboration and co-operation”.