SPT REFORMS MUST SEE CROSS PARTY CONTROL

SPT REFORMS MUST SEE CROSS PARTY CONTROL

REAL REFORM SHOULD SEE SHARED LEADERSHIP ROLES

The SNP has today urged Labour to ensure real reform of Strathclyde
Partnership for Transport by ensuring cross party leadership of the public
transport organisation.

Recent days have seen the resignation of the Labour Chairman and
Vice-Chair and the Chief Executive.

SNP Councillors across Strathclyde are now urging the Labour dominated
board to ensure that the future leadership is made up of representatives
not just of more than one council but of more than one party.

Leader of Renfrewshire Council Derek MacKay who also leads the SNP Group
on COSLA is today contacting the leadership of Council's across
Strathclyde urging them to open up control of SPT. Cllr MacKay said:

“We must see real reform of SPT and that starts at the top.

“We need real openness and accountability at the top of SPT with a chair
and vice chairs from different parties and different authorities. That is
a system that works in COSLA, there is no reason why SPT cannot do the
same and I urge councils across Strathclyde to back this approach.

“Labour’s leadership has presided over the current mess SPT is in. It’s
time to shake up SPT and bring in real accountability to this tax payer
funded organisation.

“The SPT board is dominated by Labour as we saw with the decision to shut
the Renfrew Ferry yet Labour no longer hold a monopoly on Strathclyde’s
local authorities.

“The SPT board does not meet until next week but Labour have already
anointed a chairman and are no doubt currently picking their chosen
deputy. That is the same old style Strathclyde politics that got SPT into
this mess. It is time for real reform, a clear out of SPT and some cross
party balance.

“Eight of SPTs 20 Councillors come from parties other than Labour. There
is a real opportunity here to reform the management of SPT, to ensure the
Chair and Vice Chairs are not anointed by Labour but are genuinely able to
look at the best deal for SPT and for the whole of Strathclyde.”

SNP Glasgow Councillor Graeme Hendry who worked to expose some of the
problems within SPT said:

“People in Glasgow and across Strathclyde deserve better from SPT. Labour
have clearly failed to run SPT properly and the people of Strathclyde are
being let down.

“With every new revelation public confidence in Labour’s management is
further undermined.

“When the board meets next week to appoint a new leadership it must be
about reforming this organisation and the first step is to appoint cross
party leadership right at the top.”