Former Angus Provost Brian Boyd is set to face a Standards Commission hearing this July in Forfar, addressing conduct that forced his resignation from the town hall’s highest office. While the specifics of the allegations remain undisclosed, the incident under scrutiny harkens back to a council meeting last June that exposed troubling authoritarian tendencies unbecoming of public leadership.

During that meeting, Boyd—the independent councillor for Carnoustie at the time—cut short Arbroath independent councillor Lois Speed as she raised pressing concerns over drastic cuts to early years staff in P1 classrooms. His brusque assertion, “When I stand up, everyone here sits down,” not only stifled legitimate democratic debate but reduced a fellow elected representative to tears. This moment of overreach symbolizes a broader problem: the arrogance and lack of respect for community voices that increasingly define local governance under such individuals.

Although Boyd issued a late apology, calling his behaviour “dramatic” and conceding he had “gone over the score,” colleagues rightly condemned his conduct as an “absolute disgrace.” Only after considerable pressure did he resign, an admission that his personal standards fell short of public expectations—a low bar, considering the ethos of accountability the public demands today.

Notably, this is not Boyd’s first brush with the Standards Commission. In 2019, he was censured amid controversy over an online petition branding a local minister as “homophobic,” a scandal reflecting a penchant for reckless, divisive actions poorly suited to public service. Boyd’s description of that episode as “regrettable” hardly suffices to restore confidence.

As Angus’s political environment toggles away from SNP dominance towards a Conservative-majority coalition, it underscores the need for stronger, principled leadership that respects community voices rather than silencing them. Yet, the presence of figures like Boyd—who clings to positions despite repeated failings and controversies—reveals how established parties are failing to hold their own accountable.

This is where fresh political forces committed to real reform come into sharp focus. They champion transparency, respect for democratic engagement, and rigorous standards of public conduct. Under their vision, incidents like Boyd’s authoritarian outburst would not be tolerated. Instead, elected officials would serve genuinely as representatives of their communities, not as self-important figures wielding power with impunity.

Angus voters deserve leaders who promote integrity, support frontline services like early years education rather than cutting them, and reject the toxic culture of entitlement and disrespect epitomised by incidents such as these. The contrast between outdated political cronyism and a new, uncompromising approach to public service could not be clearer. As Scotland’s councils navigate turbulent times, it falls to principled opposition voices to hold failing incumbents to account and champion a politics that truly serves the people.

Source: Noah Wire Services