Conservative councillor elected as Deputy Lord Provost
Alan Donnelly, 62, will work alongside Lord Provost Barney Crockett
Last updated 3rd Jul 2017
Scottish Conservative councillor Alan Donnelly has been elected as Deputy Lord Provost of Aberdeen.
At a meeting of the city council’s urgent business committee, Mr Donnelly, ward member for Torry and Ferryhill, was voted in by 7-6 to succeed Tom Mason.
Mr Mason, who was recently sworn in as a North East Region MSP at Holyrood, stepped down from the role in order to manage his time between his MSP and councillor duties.
A long-serving councillor in Aberdeen, Mr Donnelly has lived in the north-east since 1980, when he went to work at the St Fergus gas plant near Peterhead. He moved to Aberdeen in 1989 and was first elected 25 years ago, representing the former Duthie ward of Ferryhill.
The 62-year-old said: “It is with great pride that I accept the role of Deputy Lord Provost.
“I consider this a real honour to represent the city of Aberdeen in this role 25 years after first being elected as a councillor.
“I have always enjoyed the civic side to being a councillor and have always taken an interest and helped the provost when required.
“It is a role that I will take very seriously and I look forward to working alongside the Lord Provost over the coming months and years.”
Aberdeen's Liberal Democrat councillors have said they "fear the worst" after the appointment.
Group leader Ian Yuill said: "I was shocked when the Conservative / Labour / Independent coalition which controls the council proposed Councillor Donnelly for the position of Depute Provost.
"We believe he is completely unsuited for this important civic position. His behaviour over recent years makes us fear the worst over his shock appointment."
"I am sure anyone who has seen how Councillor Donnelly can behave in council meetings will be as surprised and disappointed as we are by his appointment as Depute Provost.