The Labour administration proposed the change at Wednesday’s full council meeting and Councillor Martin Rooney, council leader, admitted the change was to facilitate Leven councillor Michelle McGinty’s attendance at a new course at Clydebank College.

The proposal was to move the meetings from 2pm to 5pm ‘to allow more working people the option of attending’ – a measure Cllr Rooney scrapped in 2013.

Council meetings were previously held at 7pm until Cllr Rooney’s administration altered the times to 2pm, which critics said was to deter the public from attending.

The proposal caused much furore at last week’s meeting and was roundly condemned opposition councillors.

Cllr Rooney said: “As an administration we recognise the best way out of poverty is through education and work and that’s why we support young people and we support our colleagues in continuing education.

“Going to college with a view to going to university is the right thing for Cllr McGinty to do and that’s why we will support her.” He said an education meeting this week – which includes a decision to put out closures, relocations, and mergers of primary schools in the Vale to consultation – was ‘too important’ for Cllr McGinty to miss.

Cllr McGinty, who left shortly after the start of the meeting, said: “I want to be there for that meeting because that’s a really big decision that’s being made in my ward and I don’t want to seem like I’m running away from that.” She said her course was ‘one part’ of why the administration wanted the meeting times changed, but ‘not the only reason’. Cllr McGinty added: “Opposition councillors have said for a long time about the education committee that members of the public can’t make it because they are at work.” Councillor George Black: “I’m quite frankly astounded that the leader of the council comes here this afternoon and proposes to move the timing of meeting which is being held in the interest of the public to suit the timetable of an individual member. I have no difficulty with people going to college or having jobs. I think it’s really quite disgraceful that Cllr Rooney adopts a very cavalier attitude to the electorate of this area to hold meetings at 5pm to accommodate the personal life of an individual councillor. I’ve never heard so much tosh in all my life.” Councillor Jim Bollan accused the Labour group of ‘contriving’ the timing move for the ‘wrong reasons’ He accused Cllr Rooney of ‘hanging Michelle McGinty out to dry in public’ which he said was ‘despicable’. When questioned, Cllr Rooney said it would not cost more money to switch the time of the meeting as it would be dealt with by ‘managing staff more effectively’.

Cllr William Hendrie added: “There’s no way these changes have been made to improve the service, to improve the accountability or accessibility of councillors. It’s been contrived to suit the needs of the Labour group.” Councillor Ian Murray said Cllr McGinty had to ‘establish where her priorities lie’.

Leader of the opposition Jonathan McColl put forward an amendment to have meeting times changed to 7pm after discussion with lay members and said he was ‘annoyed’ Labour were initially not ‘up front’ about the reasons for the timing change.

He said the reasons behind a change to 5pm were ‘spurious’ because it would not make it easier for anyone – those who worked or those who did not. The amendment stated the council ‘rejects the proposal to change timing of the education services committee and instead instructs officers to consult lay members and bring a report to the next council meeting’. The amendment was voted down by 12 votes to eight.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Black told the Reporter: “Meetings should be arranged to suit council business and not individuals. I could not describe the Labour group as being shamefaced because they have no shame.” He added: “We all have family, personal and outside commitments but need to compromise these to serve as councillors.” Cllr McGinty’s basic yearly wage as a senior councillor is £20,702.04. Cllr Black previously wrote about the time change on his blog, to which Cllr McGinty responded saying: “The education convenor is putting her money where her mouth is and going back to pursue an education that was put on hold to raise her family... I don’t live my life for election results.” Cllr McGinty declined to comment when approached by the Reporter.

In response, Cllr Rooney said: “One of the reasons for the recent changes to timings was confirmed at the council meeting was to provide an opportunity for our education convener to further develop her skills by attending our local Further Education College. As leader I am really pleased to see that Cllr McGinty has confirmed she will attend a college course and continue her important and highly valued role as an elected member and convener of education.”