Moray Council: Lack of debate on dolphin killing 'profoundly undemocratic'
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Moray Council's leader has declared it "profoundly undemocratic" that the local authority can't discuss the culling of dolphins and whales in the Faroe Islands.
After being contacted by a concerned constituent, Graham Leadbitter tried to raise the issue at a meeting of the council's corporate committee.
However his motion asking members to make their views known to the Faroese government was declared to be outwith the council's remit as the rules currently stand.
Alasdair McEachan, the local authority's legal office, said: "My view is in this case the issue is out with the statutory remit of the council. It’s not what councillors are elected to do.
"Although I do recognise there’s a political element here and the council and council business is very much what councillors wish to make of it."
Around 600 pilot whales, and between 10 and 35 white-sided dolphins, are regularly killed by the Faroese each year.
However, in an incident which drew widespread condemnation in September, more then 1428 dolphins were killed in a single day after being herded onto a beach.
Cllr Leadbitter said: "I’ve tried various ways of finding a way to deal with this and I’ve found myself constitutionally bound with it.
"I’m finding myself feeling it’s profoundly undemocratic and that the current procedures in the council aren’t allowing it to be debated, which is a frustration both for the person that’s written and a frustration for me not being able to provide an answer."
The motion was seconded by cllr Aaron McLean (Forres, SNP), who chaired the meeting.
He agreed with the points made by Mr Leadbitter but also accepted Mr McEachan's ruling on the matter.
A public petition was submitted in February asking the local authority to make the Faroese government aware that the people of Moray were against killing whales and dolphins.
Petitions need at least 50 signatures from people on the electoral register in Moray before they can be considered.
However, this particular petition was declared invalid as the subject of culling is not something for which the local authority bears responsibility.
As part of a review into the local authority’s petitions process, officers will now look into ways that topics not directly connected with council business can be debated.
