Tory chief Martin Dowey urged to 'step aside' as South Ayrshire Council leader by Labour group
South Ayrshire Council leader, Martin Dowey, has been urged to stand aside while cops probe allegations he promised to help "pals" win multi-million pound contracts. In a bombshell recording which emerged yesterday , Tory council chief Dowey was heard branding his officials as 'f***ing useless' and boasted: 'All the top ones I can sack.' Opposition politicians have now rounded on Dowey, insisting his position to lead the authority is "untenable". Dowey has denied any wrongdoing following the emergence of the tape from 2023, which appears to record him telling a businessman that he can help him win work - including a deal to demolish the former Station Hotel. Police have confirmed they have received correspondence in relation to the meeting which is 'currently being assessed' by officers. Duncan Townson, who heads the council's Labour Group, said the probe made Dowey's position as leader untenable. He said this morning: "In order to protect the reputation of the Council during the investigation, Cllr Dowey has no choice but to step aside and allow another councillor from within his Group, not linked in anyway to the ongoing investigations, to take over leadership at this time, due to the very serious nature of the allegations. In short I believe his position at this time is untenable." Labour MSP, Carol Mochan, added: "There is no justification for this. It degrades trust in the council. His position is untenable."
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