Beth Whiteside steps down as Angus Council Leader for personal reasons
The Monifieth and Sidlaw Councillor announced her decision on Monday
Last updated 31st Jul 2024
Beth Whiteside has stepped down from her role as Leader of Angus Council.
The representative for Monifieth and Sidlaw announced her decision on Monday, 29th July.
Councillor George Meechan will continue in his role as Depute Leader.
Councillor Whiteside became Leader of the Council in 2022 Scottish Council elections.
She led the council through the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extreme weather events of last years.
She also played pivotal roles in securing the funding for the Arbroath Places for Everyone scheme and the Monifieth Learning Campus
Councillor Whiteside said: “I have been considering stepping down as Leader for personal reasons for a while, and I feel like this period, after a general election and well before the Scottish elections is the best time.”
“I have hugely enjoyed my time as Leader and it has been a privilege to serve the people of Angus, but it is an all-encompassing role, and I’ve faced many huge challenges along the way and I feel it would benefit from new leadership.
“I am very proud to have been the Leader of Angus Council and particularly to be the first woman to have held this position.
“I wish my replacement every success as they take on the role and I will be there to support them as councillor for my ward of Monifieth and Sidlaw.”
Successor to be announced "in due course"
Depute Leader, Councillor George Meechan said: “The administrative group will meet to discuss who will succeed Cllr Whiteside as Leader, as well as who will take up the role of Provost following the departure of Cllr Brian Boyd.
“These are big decisions for the group and the council at a very critical time when we face so many challenges.
“We want to make sure that we have fully discussed our options and to do that we have to have all the right people in the room. However, we also respect councillors’ need to have a break over the summer recess, so we will wait to make our decisions which will be announced in due course.”
Fellow Monifieth and Sidlaw Councillor, Lloyd Melville, paid tribute to her time at the helm of the local authority, posting on social media: "I want to put on record my thanks to my ward buddy Beth Whiteside for her leadership of Angus.
"She was the first woman ever to lead Angus Council - and we had some big wins delivered under her leadership.
"We will now elect a new leader to take Angus forward."